Applications for Resonance 2022-23 are now closed
We’re seeking applications from music creators of colour for our next Resonance residency programme.
Part of PRS Foundation’s Talent Development Partnership supported by PPL, Resonance was launched in 2017 to offer opportunities to professional musicians and composers in any genre, based in the north of England and the Midlands, to develop new ideas, to collaborate with performers from other disciplines, and to take their work in new directions.
Five successful lead artists will receive up to a week of free rehearsal space in central Leeds between October 2022 and April 2023, a grant of up to £3,500 to cover fees for those involved and other costs, and support and advice from technicians, producers and other specialists. There are also options for a short film to document the project, and a work in progress performance or live stream.
Alumni of the scheme have gone on to create major commissions for Opera North. Music Director on the first Resonance residency, Jasdeep Singh Degun composed a sitar concerto, Arya, for the Orchestra of Opera North, and was recently announced as the Company’s Artist in Residence. Orpheus in the Record Shop, written and performed by writer, theatre-maker, beatboxer and 2019 Resonance artist Testament, was filmed for BBC Four’s Lights Up season in 2021, and returns to the stage this October.
In the latest Resonance residencies, percussionist Mendi Mohinder Singh worked with four people with visual impairments to create new music, bringing his tabla together with electronics, the sounds of everyday objects, and the rhythms and voices of his collaborators. He is now working on Opera North’s mini pop-up opera A Tale of Orpheus & Eurydice, which will tour the north in June and July – as well as taking his Resonance project on to the next stage.
“Working with Opera North’s staff and resources set a very professional tone for the work”, says Mendi. “This was not just incredibly inspiring for me and the participants, it was integral part of the success of the project. It has given me confidence, and insight into working with more groups and securing funding to develop this idea further”.
The Resonance scheme has been enabled by Opera North’s membership of the PRS Foundation’s network of Talent Development Partners supported by PPL. The UK’s leading funder of new music and talent development, PRS Foundation supports organisations working at the frontline of talent development with a broad range of individual music creators. This reflects PRS Foundation’s commitment to supporting composers and songwriters of all backgrounds and genres, through direct investment or by helping organisations which nurture artists and promote their music.
