Education

EXAUDI is passionately committed to education. Our work in this area is at the heart of our ethos and takes many forms, from composer mentoring to vocal masterclasses and choral workshops.

We are particularly active in working with student and emerging composers. Each year we work with BMus and MMus composers at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, and with undergraduates at Durham University, where we are an Ensemble-in-Residence. We have also worked with student composers at City, Cardiff, Southampton and Huddersfield Universities, RAM and RNCM.

We have participated in residencies for emerging composers at the IRCAM Manifeste Academie (2013, 2014), Aldeburgh Music (2015) and Voix Nouvelles, Royaumont (2016, 2018, 2021), collaborating with composer mentors such as James Dillon, Pierluigi Billone, Raphaël Cendo, Mauro Lanza, Simon Steen-Andersen, Clara Iannotta, Michael Finnissy and Frédéric Durieux. We have also twice collaborated with Sound and Music’s Portfolio scheme, working alongside Christopher Fox and Laurence Crane, and for several years ran a vocal ensemble composition workshop at Dartington International Summer School.

EXAUDI’s engagement with both child and amateur adult singers is an important part of our work, from one-off workshops with choral societies to more extensive collaborations with festivals such as SOUND Scotland, Bangor, Huddersfield and Spitalfields. The radicalism, freedom, fun and humour found in so much experimental repertoire is ripe for inspiring young minds and releasing a fresh creativity in seasoned musicians.

We are also frequently invited to coach with student and young professional singers: recent projects have included Leeds College of Music (2011-12), Guildhall School of Music & Drama (‘Extraordinary Voices’, 2012) and Ensemble Voix Nouvelles, Royaumont (2016, 2018).

In 2016 and 2019, as part of our EXPOSURE strand, we hosted several highly successful workshops, performances and discussions on the theme of Experimental Music for Voices, in partnership with London-based ensembles Musarc, CoMA Singers and The Vocal Constructivists.