Composer in Residency - Sweden

Visby Centre for Composers 

‘The Visby Centre for Composers’ is a highly sought after destination for any composer to work at. It is equipped with some of the best studios in the world and composers are allowed 24-hour access and a bedroom on site. The studios are warmed by seven, oil-fueled scandinavian lights and the hall itself is embedded in a medieval town, scattered with ruins, called Visby. 

It is peaceful to work, study and research here - the snow mutes the sounds and discourages you from leaving the warmth of the hall. And, as you sit at the computer, or piano, you have a view of the Baltic sea and the many ships and ferries that pass through the harbour. It was not a short journey. After the plane arrived into Stockholm, I took a three-and-a-half hour ferry to my destination (I ate meatballs onboard). On arrival, I was greeted by the ‘wall of fame.’ The wall of fame, used ironically because composers are never famous, is a wall of composers who have visited the centre: Mark Bowden (UK), Anna Meredith (UK), Laura Bowler (UK), etc. etc. were names that I recognised from scores and concerts. It was nice to have a sense of familiarity in this, and the shared humour too. The sign on the door read ‘the centre for unpopular music.’

 While here, I worked on my childrens’ opera. This is a commission for Opera Prelude and is based on the book ‘The King’s Pants’ by Nicholas Allan and will tour UK childrens’ literary festivals. I also worked on my 15-minute song cycle for my submission at Cambridge this term, and a piano trio that will be performed by the Fidelio Trio (also at Cambridge). The aim of a ‘Composer in Residency’ is to allow you the space for the deep, deep concentration required to compose minutes of music. I also connected with Scandinavian composers and we discussed our methods of practises. The centre houses a wide range of compositional reading - ‘Behind Bars, Elaine Gould,’ ‘The Music of Ukrainian Composers’ and so forth. Intervallically, I oscillated between reading and piano practice to break up the composition.   This too was an invaluable experience.

A highlight was collecting field recordings from the town. There were lots of foreign sounds, for example, the sound two icicles made when chimed together, the sound of an icy sea or muted voices against the snow. These are filed away into a ‘soundbank’ and will be worked on later in the year. I also attended a traditional Norwegian carol concert in old medieval ruins. This was magical and surreal. 

I hope to come back to the centre. I think many composers return again and again because they value silence and solitude. It’s funded by the Arts Council, Sweden, and it’s wonderful to see the degree in which art is funded here. 

Thank you to Homerton College for supporting my trip.