'Winners announced for national 2019/20 Emergent Commissions for Disabled Musicians
Three emerging Disabled musicians have been awarded national
commissions by Drake Music and its partner, Sound and Music. The winners of the
2019/20 Emergent commissions - Dyr Sister, Robbie Ashworth and Remi Fox-Novak -
will create new work which brings together music and film, responding to
the question: “What does it mean to be you and living in today’s
society?”.
The composers, from Nottingham, London and Hull, come from very
different musical backgrounds, including contemporary folk music, underground
techno and composition for moving image.
The commissions aim to support emerging Disabled musicians to take
the next step in their musical and career development, offering a supported
opportunity to create new work and push their practice further.
The two organisations are working in partnership to raise the
profile of Disabled composers within the UK contemporary music scene. As well
as partnering each musician with a film-maker, the organisations will support
them to become part of the British Music Collection, an
online space and discovery platform for new music and creators in the UK.
Carien Meijer, Chief Executive of Drake Music, commented:
“This is the third year of our Emergent
commission programme and it is wonderful to see the quality of the musicians
coming through.
"Disabled people are massively under-represented in the UK music scene, so it is exciting to be working in partnership with Sound and Music to bring these talented musicians to a whole new audience.”
The three Emergent Commission winners are:
Dyr Sister (Hull)
Sally Currie is a Multi-Instrumentalist based in Hull who is partially deaf and has an extensive history writing and performing music with bands and solo. Her main instruments are the Viola and the Piano which she learnt as a child, subsequently playing in local orchestras and string ensembles. As a solo artist she has performed her work all over the UK at venues and festivals sharing bills with acts like Laetitia Sadier, This is the Kit, Ruth Theodore, Thomas Truax and The Dead Rat Orchestra.
Sally’s current project is The Dyr Sister, a contemporary folk band which expands on her previous solo work and is described as ‘Fairy tales for the Modern Gentleman’.
Sally says:
“I am very excited as a deaf artist about turning my music into visual art and all the different possibilities that this entails. Being able to add another dimension to the presentation of my work that is accessible to the deaf community is something that means a lot to me and I feel privileged to be able to join the programme and explore this.”
Robbie Ashworth
A composer, performer and
entertainer from South West London. His main instrument is piano but he
also enjoys playing guitar and African djembe drums. He has a music degree
from Kingston University and an HND from North East Scotland College.
His favourite genres are jazz, blues and 1950s rock and roll but
has also been classically trained to Grade 8 (piano).
“I am thrilled to be able to compose a piece of music set to a moving image which highlights how inclusion is still in its infancy with regards to people with hidden disabilities as well as visual ones. I would like my music to show how living in today’s society can be an isolating experience for those who are different.”
Remi Fox-Novak
Emerging from the Nottingham underground, Remi Fox-Novák is a producer, live performer and sound artist as a member of the Surfacing collective. This summer he released his first solo record ‘+’ and has begun performing his angular brand of dancefloor techno live. A self-confessed music technology nerd, he is passionate about finding ways to make playing music accessible for all.
Remi adds:
“I am so pleased to be working with Drake Music. It’s a great opportunity to push my sound design skills in partnership with film makers and make connections with other artists.”
The Emergent: A Music Legacy programme is funded
by Help Musicians UK to support new artistic and career opportunities for
Disabled musicians and composers.
Drake Music brought the three artists together for a collaborative and exploratory music making session in November and they are now working on their commissions individually. In early 2020 they will be matched with film-makers, ready to release the new work in spring.'
Source: Drake Music https://www.drakemusic.org/blog/becky-morris-knight/emergent-commission-winners-2019-20-announced/
