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Anna Meredith - sinfonia ViVA's Composer in the House: a Royal Philharmonic Society and PRS for Music Foundation initiative

Anna Meredith appointed RPS/PRS for Music Foundation Composer in the House at sinfonia ViVA 2010-2012

Composer in the House was created by the Royal Philharmonic Society and the PRS for Music Foundation with the aim of re-establishing composers at the heart of orchestral life. The scheme enables composers and performers alike to have space to create new work, and seeks to involve audiences more actively with new music through long-term involvement with a composer.

In January 2010, Anna Meredith becomes the third RPS/PRS for Music Foundation Composer in the House*, when she takes up residence with East Midlands based sinfonia ViVA.

Anna Meredith is a composer of acoustic and electronic music as well as a performer, curator and animateur. As a concert composer she has also written for Ensemble Modern, the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta, the BBC Philharmonic, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Smith Quartet, orkest de ereprijs and Horses Brawl amongst many others, and was Resident Composer of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra from 2004-2007. She came to public attention in 2008 when her piece froms was televised as part of the Last Night of the Proms, and again in 2009 in BBC2s Classical Goldie, when she coached Musician/DJ Goldie in composition, harmony and orchestration for a piece he wrote for the Proms.

Anna will work closely with sinfonia ViVA's artistic team, including Principal Conductor André de Ridder, to gain an insight into the processes and decision-making behind music programming and to develop imaginative ways to engage audiences of all ages in the enjoyment of new music and the creative process.

sinfonia ViVA was selected for Composer in the House by the PRS for Music Foundation and Royal Philharmonic Society, as a chamber orchestra ideally placed to take advantage of the opportunity. The partners were impressed by the orchestra's dynamism, adaptability and adventurous attitude to sharing the best new music with their players and audiences alike.

Anna's work will be featured throughout the 2010/2011 seasons, starting with a performance on Tuesday 16 March in Nottingham of fringeflower (for strings) and Charged for solo violin (with soloist Tom Gould). Further highlights for Spring 2010 include a reworking for strings of Songs for the M8 (Wednesday 28 April, Leicester Curve) and a day of workshops with sinfonia ViVA players, in preparation for a major RPS/PRSF Composer in the House commission to be premiered in February 2011. Anna will also curate a series of five events (Autumn 2010 to Spring 2011), in which she will perform and premiere five short works for chamber ensembles. February 2011 sees the launch of a major educational residency, led by Anna and James Redwood, for primary through to tertiary students.

The progress of all Composer in the House events can be followed in a special blog on the ViVA website, which will be up and running in the New Year.

Anna Meredith comments: "Composer in the House offers a very different, more holistic approach to most composer in residence schemes and it is this that particularly excites me. In many ways, I see myself more as a musician than a composer and by allowing me to be an integral part of the ViVA creative team, to have input into programming and to really get to know the players, I hope to take risks and explore ideas in a different way than if I was 'just writing a piece'. The creative approach will be broad (with me performing, as well as composing or curating or improvising with ViVA players) and much of the excitement comes from not knowing the end result, but rather seeing how the relationship, and the music, will develop over the next two years."

Peter Helps, sinfonia ViVA Chief Executive comments: "sinfonia ViVA's relationship with audiences has never been stronger, and I know that Anna in her new role with us is looking forward to extending and developing the relationship in new and still more exciting directions so that audiences and participants in every aspect of the Orchestra's activity benefit."

André de Ridder, Principal Conductor of sinfonia ViVA comments: "We are extremely proud and no less lucky to have Anna Meredith become ViVA's Composer in the House, thanks to the RPS and the PRS for Music Foundation. It is a significant vote of confidence in what we are trying to do and what we are achieving that we have been chosen as the third host for this wonderful scheme."

Rosemary Johnson, Royal Philharmonic Society Executive Director comments: "Anna Meredith is equally talented as a composer and a communicator and her appointment will take Composer in the House into new territory, forging a link between a composer and a smaller ensemble, in an area where classical music has been traditionally under-represented and where sinfonia ViVA are making a real difference. The scheme sits full square behind the society’s mission to 'create a future for music', and we look forward to seeing how it will develop over the next two years."

Charlotte Ray, Co-Director of the PRS for Music Foundation comments: "It takes commitment, courage and a good deal of ingenuity to make space for a new person in your home for a year or more. sinfonia ViVA's adventurous approach to sharing the best new music with their players and audiences makes them ideally placed to make the most of working with their chosen composer, Anna Meredith. Their plans will make Anna truly part of the ViVA family. PRS for Music Foundation believes that this model of composer residency holds great promise for the future."

Further press information from: Sophie Cohen, RPS, on 020 7428 9850 or 07711 551 787 email sophiecohen@blueyonder.co.uk or Clarissa Carlyon, Communications and Projects Officer, PRS for Music Foundation on 020 7306 4741 email clarissa.carlyon@prsfoundation.co.uk

Further press information on sinfonia ViVA from: Simon Millward at Albion Media on 020 7629 3252 and 07990 507310 email simon@albion-media.co.uk

* Anna Meredith will be the third RPS/PRS for Music Foundation Composer in the House. Stephen McNeff was the first Composer in the House, working with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from 2005-2007. Kenneth Hesketh, the second recipient, has just completed his residency with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Ensemble 10/10.

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