Darwin Ensemble

On Thursday 28th February, the Darwin Ensemble String Quartet took part in a Schools' Composition Workshop in collaboration with Kenneth Dempster, Composer in residence at the Ian Tomlin School of Music, Napier University. The event was supported by the Friends of the Music of St Giles' Cathedral.

Three pupils from George Watson's College working for their Advanced Higher Music examination took part, and their compositions were rehearsed in consultation with the composers themselves. Discussion and demonstration of matters of general interpretation and musical ideas were juxtaposed with the technical detail of performance practice, tempi, dynamics and timbre to illustrate to the composers how best to express their intentions in the string quartet compositions they had written. The final ‘results’ were performed at an informal concert and recorded for the composers' use as exam submissions and/or composing portfolios.

Thank you so much for all you did to make yesterday's composition workshop so successful. Everybody really benefited, and enjoyed the occasion. … The willingness of all of you to provide such a variety of stimulating and thoughtful comments and ideas was just what was required. Michael Harris, Organist and Master of the Music of St Giles' Cathedral, who hosted the event.