Writing for Violin - Call for Composers

Following the success of the first CompositionToday workshop for horn, Composition:Today announces a new workshop for composers interested in writing for the Violin, scheduled for March 2006. We are looking for short extracts (not necessarily finished works) , exercises testing out a particular technique, or can even be just a question (eg. How high can you comfortably trill?), or they might be short pieces (1 page max).

The session will be recorded by top UK violinist Susanne Stanzeleit, and performed extracts and examples will be available to the public on the C:T site at a later date. By sending in your work you grant us a permanent license to use a recording of the extract on the CompositionToday website. On your entry please state whether you wish the extract to remain anonymous or not if it is published on the C:T site. Anyone may send in an extract or a question, but priority will be given to CompositionToday members. Whilst we do anticipate being able to perform all extracts, we do not guarantee that all entries will be performed.
Even if you are not writing a piece at the moment, why not send in a few bars as an experiment. You'll be able to check back to the site in a few weeks to see how it sounds!

Deadline for entries: 28 Feb 2006

Please send your question, or a digital copy of your extract (Sibelius or Finale) to

or by post to:
Red Balloon
PO BOX 850
St Albans
AL1 9BE
United Kingdom

About Susanne Stanzeleit, Violin

Susanne Stanzeleit (violin) is one of the leading violinists of her generation. She has performed worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician. She is well known for her unusually challenging and extensive repertoire, featuring many commissions and UK premieres of works by composers such as John Adams, Lou Harrison, Gyorgy Kurtag, John Woolrich, Philip Cashian, Rebecca Saunders etc. Her� more than 20 CDs shave attracted rave reviews worldwide and she has shared the concert platform with many eminent musicians, including Gervase de Peyer, Eduard Brunner, Zara Nelsova, Norbert Brainin and Yehudi Menuhin, as well as regular pianist partners, Julian Jacobson and Gusztav Fenyo. A sought-after leader, she was first violin of the Edinburgh String Quartet between January 2000 and June 2002 and co-leader of Sinfonia 21, as well as guest-leading groups such as the Orchestra of St John�s, the BBC Scottish Symphony, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the East of England Orchestra, the BT Ensemble, Capricorn and many others. She was appointed Head of Strings at the London College of Music and Media in 2002.