UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 10 JUNE 2021
RBC composition students will premiere their work online and on campus from 14 –18 June as part of CODA Festival 2021.
The programme of new music, experimental projections, screenings, films and discussions is the largest CODA offering yet, with five days of performances, from 11am until late, featuring a wide variety of artistic expression and cutting-edge experimental work by staff and students from Birmingham City University.
Highlights include a sonic and visual exploration of Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ by Kinna Whitehead, a live performance from renowned composer Howard Skempton, an album written by Zygmund de Somogyi for classical guitar and Bolivian folk instrument ronroco, and an in-person performance of ‘The Last Car on the Street’ with Daniel Blanco Albert in Millennium Point’s outdoor car park.
Daily line-ups of YouTube premieres, Zoom events and on-campus works close with The CODA Show from 9:45 – 10:45am, featuring performance-related interviews, music and games.
The Composition department, which has seen the likes of Laura Mvula, Anna Palmer, Charlotte Bray and Jae-Moon Lee graduate from its ranks, has adapted to the challenges posed by multiple lockdowns. Student composers have applied their creativity to come up with ingenious ideas to entertain and provoke thought via performance; albeit it without a live audience.
Associate Professor in Composition and Course Director of the MMus in Experimental Performance degree course Michael Wolters said: “I’m astonished by the inventiveness on display in the performances at this year’s CODA Festival. Our students have embraced the limitations of lockdown and created truly extraordinary works.”