Job Advert: composer/songwriter for winter song

Deadline: Fri 9th October 2020 at 5pm

We are looking for a LGBT+/queer composer songwriter to create a three minute a cappella work for The Sunday Boys - a Manchester based low voice choir (tenor and bass).

This new work will be rehearsed throughout November and December with a performance or performances - subject to restrictions - in December this year. A music video of the work might be made subject to a successful funding bid. Like many of our commissioned works we are likely to perform this work in future and place it in our ‘core’ repertoire.

Building on the success of Dominie Hooper’s Robin, why do you sing? which was commissioned and performed in winter 2019 we are looking for a new a cappella work in no more than three parts (although we’re open to ideas!) that explores themes around queerness and/or being LGBT+ and also celebrates winter time. 

We are particularly looking for composers and songwriters who can write their own texts or have a suitable text to hand and permission to use it. We welcome a range of styles, genres and ideas, but are particularly looking for work in which the vocal writing is idiomatic, is suitable for an open access (but hard working) choir and gives all singers something interesting to sing. We are also passionate about the words we sing and the chosen text should be evocative, meaningful and well set to music.

The performance of this work will potentially be in a multistory car park (!) as well as performers being socially distanced from one another so we are looking for a composer/songwriter who understands the complexities of working in this setting, especially regarding how spacing and acoustic might impact on tightness of ensemble/togetherness.

We particularly welcome applications from people who are underrepresented in the choral sector and may face, or have faced, barriers in creating new music and working within this sector.

If you have any questions about this role please contact Michael on info@thesundayboys.com

About The Sunday Boys

The Sunday Boys are an unauditioned, inclusive low voice choir with a majority gay identifying membership that rehearse on Sunday evenings in central Manchester.
Since their conception by composer Michael Betteridge, The Sunday Boys have grown from small beginnings to a choir 60+ strong and have performed across the city, the country and beyond. 2016 saw the choir perform at the finale of the Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival alongside poets Ian and Andrew McMillan with the latter writing a poem that was set to music by Betteridge entitled 'hymn'. 2017 saw the choir present their first full length gig ‘50 Years of Change’ celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 with world premieres by Philip Venables, Anna Appleby and Husk - this gig later toured to Bury Art Museum and Birmingham Repertory Theatre and was also awarded the Voluntary Arts UK and Ireland’s Epic Award for ‘Celebrating Diversity’. 2018 saw: a tour to Iceland; a new 15 minute work created in collaboration with Andrew McMillan and Betteridge entitled 'the body is a choir room' - one movement of which was shortlisted for 2019 ISCM World Music Days in Estonia - performed at The Stoller Hall; a performance at Nottingham Contemporary as part of AHRC’s 'Being Human' festival; and a Christmas concert entitled 'A Very Queer Christmas' curated by trans theologian and writer Dr. Rev. Rachel Mann. March 2020 saw the choir take to The Lowry stage to a full audience with Songs From Sondheim.  During lockdown the choir produced a full length digital gig from their own homes entitled At Home with The Sunday Boys premiering two new virtual choir videos in July 2020.

Timeline

Fri Oct 9th (5pm)         
Deadline for application

Mon Oct 12th            
Successful composer/songwriter chosen

Fri Oct 23rd            
First draft deadline

Fri Oct 30th            
Final deadline

Sun Nov 1st            
First rehearsal

Mid-Dec            
Performance and music video capture (tbc)
Please note the very tight turnaround of this new work!

Application process
The application process is intentionally short. We would like to hear and see at least one work, preferably written for a cappella voices. If you don’t have a work for a cappella voices please submit a work for voice. Both a recording and a score is preferred, but we are happy to receive one or the other. You can include a second score and/or recording if you wish. If you need to submit the application in a different format please get in touch with Michael on info@thesundayboys.com

Fee
£400 - this is the fee for both words and music and allows us to print enough copies of the score and/or use electronic copies of the score until the end of 2021.

Click here to apply