RPS and BBC Radio 3 Launch ENCORE Choral

11 Mar 2015

Royal Philharmonic Society and BBC Radio 3 have launched the third phase of ENCORE, which will focus on choral music.

Over the past decade, the Royal Philharmonic Society and BBC Radio 3’s ENCORE project has brought to light little known orchestral and chamber works by living British composers through nationwide performances, learning events and broadcasts. Now, ENCORE is turning its attention to choral music, identifying exceptional contemporary choral works that deserve to be better known and heard more often.

Choral music is enjoying a renaissance in the UK; we boast some of the world’s finest professional choirs. There is also a huge interest in amateur music making, with an estimated 25,000 choirs all over the country - in schools, in the community – who draw on centuries old choral traditions for inspiration. Many choirs embrace contemporary repertoire, enjoying the dynamism of performing music that can be both unfamiliar and challenging. However, traditional choral repertoire dominates, and practical issues of scale and musical complexity mean that many thought-provoking contemporary works fade from view.

The call for ENCORE Choral is now out. The RPS and BBC Radio 3 are asking music publishers, agents, artists, music industry and choral experts to nominate ‘lost’ outstanding works, for performances beginning in 2015/2016. Composers cannot nominate their own works.

Click here for more information about ENCORE Choral and download the full press release here.

ENCORE

ENCORE is a collaboration between the Royal Philharmonic Society and BBC Radio 3 that delves into the works of living British composers, selecting works for performance and broadcast that might otherwise be lost from view.

While the world premiere of a new piece of music is oftern the focus of media attention and heightened expectation, the chance for it to be heard again and become established in the repertoire is rare. Funding is scarcely available for subsequent performances, resulting in works of real musical worth disappearing from the concert platform.

ENCORE seeks to redress this balance. Featuring works by some of the UK’s most celebrated composers, every ENCORE work is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and complemented by a range of audience development work, shedding new light on each piece.