NewAud workshops explore new contexts for performance
New Music: New Audiences (NewAud), a project of which CMC is a partner, is dedicated to supporting contemporary music and composers' and musicians' experiments with performance contexts and audience engagement through international involvements.
The project has launched a number of workshops which involve a number of European contemporary music ensembles meeting in various cities across Europe to discuss the issues around future contemporary music presentation, as well as planning concerts and events that will bring them into contact with their audiences. The first of these took place last week in Vienna, and was a meeting of the NewAud 'Youth Group', which discussed approaches towards the presentation of new music to, and engagement with young people. This was followed by the meeting of the 'Social Group' in London involving Ireland's Crash Ensemble among others, who discussed approaches to hosting contemporary music events which allow the audience to come in direct contact with the performers.
Upcoming workshops include two with the NewAud 'Ditching Groups', the first on 12 March, and the second on 15 March, both in London. Both, the first including the Galway-based Con Tempo Quartet, will debate ideas on breaking down the traditional barriers of the concert hall in the search for new venues for contemporary music. The final workshop takes place on 22 March in Brussels, featuring the 'Artmix Group', and will explore the combining of contemporary music with other artforms to create new concert experiences.