Composers from RCS in revolutionary concerts for schools
Composers from RCS in revolutionary concerts for schools
Published: 25/11/2016
Two composers from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland have written new works for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s (RSNO) new concerts for primary schools that merge a live orchestral music experience with technology and gaming.
Five sold-out performances of RSNO 360 Live, which took place this week, featured popular classical works alongside two new commissions from Scotland-based composers, a free interactive app for digital devices and one of the world’s most successful video games ever, Minecraft, being played live on a cinema screen.
Dr Oliver Searle, a lecturer in Creative and Contextual Studies, composed Sauchiehall, and RCS alumni and Glasgow based composer, Jay Capperauld’s new work,Terrarium,have been written with a set introduction and coda but with five interchangeable central sections which can be performed in any order, to be determined by the audience at each concert.
The new concerts featured the two commissioned works, with Dr Searle’s Sauchiehall, written to celebrate the orchestra’s 125th anniversary and its move from Glasgow’s West End to the city centre, a journey that can be made directly along one of the city’s main thoroughfares, Sauchiehall Street.
Terrarium was performed while the audience explored five distinct worlds on the big screen, through the medium of Minecraft.
Nearly 2,000primary school pupils attended RSNO 360 Live over three days at the RSNO’s new home in Glasgow, having participated in pre-concert workshops with RSNO musicians visiting the schools in previous months.
The new app, developed by the RSNO Learning and Engagement team and supported by Creative Scotland’s Innovation Fund, which will be utilised as a supplementary training aid, is available on a variety of formats.
Dr Searle’s specially-commissioned work Sauchiehall was recorded for RSNO 360 using binaural microphones which mimic human hearing and the resulting recording provides an audio-3D experience when listened through headphones.
RSNO 360 is available on general release from the Apple App Store.
