College Open Orchestra teams up with composer Chris Gardner

On Friday 20 March, we were very pleased to welcome composer Chris Gardner to join Treloar College Open Orchestra rehearsals. 

Chris has played a huge role in the local musical community as a conductor, composer, timpanist and accompanist and we were delighted that Chris had accepted our commission to write a piece of music for our enthusiastic college orchestra. 

All of our orchestra participants use the Clarion and Chris came in to hear them play and discuss the commission directly with the students to see what type of music they like, as well as looking at their different methods of playing and abilities of playing.  

One student, who has never experienced music lessons before coming to Treloar's, said how exciting it is to be working with and playing music written by a living composer.

Chris is very familiar with the Clarion having supported Treloar's former student, Alessandro Vazzana, to join the Alton Concert Orchestra; Chris frequently writes Clarion parts for Alessandro and has also written music for The Clarion Trio who visited Treloar’s a couple of weeks ago.

Chris said: 

"I was both thrilled and honoured to have been asked to write music for the Clarion. Having worked with Alessandro for two years now, making arrangements for him of well known "classical" pieces of music, I have learned a lot about the instrument and I am now looking forward to writing a new piece for the Treloar's clarion ensemble. Jocelyn invited me to one of the regular sessions at Treloar's and it was wonderful to see the enthusiasm of the pupils and how much they enjoy having a musical outlet. This is ground-breaking stuff, enabled by the development of computer software. There are now a number of composers writing for the instrument, which has an ever-growing repertoire. 

"Fundamentally I believe that music is the most remarkable invention or discovery by the human mind. Now, with the development of instruments like the Clarion, it is open to more or less everyone as an enjoyable and worthwhile passtime. We have some way to go before it becomes part of the musical mainstream, but I can see that happening as more people take part and the instrument evolves and is improved."

This initiative is part of the Music Opportunities Pilot, led by Young Sounds UK, with ABRSM, DFE, Open Up Music, the BBC and other partners (Young Sounds UK to deliver the Department for Education’s Music Opportunities Pilot! - Young Sounds)

We are looking forward to rehearsing and performing a newly commissioned work which will have been composed specifically for our orchestra and we hope to be able to share a recording of it when it has been completed!