Psappha

Psappha has been active in education work since its inception in 1991. Projects to date have mainly been aimed at the 12-18 age range, but the group has also given many workshops with composers, young and old.

School Workshops take place over a number of weeks and lead to a performance of the work created. In 1995 Psappha was awarded the Swatch City Life Award for the best concert series and education work of that year. In 1998 members of Psappha took part in a series of training sessions with the award-winning London Sinfonietta Education Department.

Around the World in 80 Minutes is a whistle stop tour of music from across the globe. The show covers areas of the national curriculum for key stages 1 and 2 in music and geography and requires plenty of participation from the youngsters. The project features music from Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America, and includes performances on instruments ranging from the Hungarian Cimbalom to Indian Tabla.

Psappha ensures that all works to be included in Composers' Workshops are rehearsed in advance in order that composers gain as much benefit from the sessions as possible. Past workshops have taken place at the Cheltenham Festival, The Queen's University of Belfast, Manchester University, Cardiff University, Leeds University and The Royal Scottish of Music and Drama.

Since 2002 Psappha has been contemporary-artists-in-association at Manchester University, where it and gives nine composition workshops each year for masters and doctorate degrees.