Composers Ensemble

The Composers Ensemble has always put creative educational projects linking participation and performance at the heart of its work. As well as supporting the music of established composers performed by leading professional players, it encourages people of all ages to write and perform their own pieces. The creative educational activities of the Ensemble are now under the direction of Peter Wiegold.

Projects are led by distinguished creative artists ranging from 'concert composers' (Jonathan Harvey, Peter Sculthorpe, Louis Andriessen, Philip Cashian, Michael Finnissy, David Bedford, Deirdre Gribbin, Diana Burrell, Javier Alvarez and Simon Bainbridge) to jazz improvisers (Keith Tippett), composer/performers (Vinko Globokar), song writers (Elvis Costello) and poets (Matthew Sweeney).

Composers Ensemble creative workshops have taken place throughout England and Europe,  with projects linked to schools, universities, music colleges, venues, festivals and summer schools. From 1991 to 1998 the Ensemble was resident at Dartington International Summer School.

In the last few years, the Ensemble has expanded its participatory work to include concert works which have a place for amateur musicians, such as Berio's Duetti and Laborintus II, Terry Riley's In C, Louis Andriessen's Workers Union, Frederick Rzewski's Les Moutons de Panurge, Per Norgaard's Drumbook, and even works which can include non-musicians like Cornelius Cardew's Treatise.