Top ten amplifies 500 years of music in Aberdeen

Five hundred years ago, music played an important part in 바카라사이트 newly founded Aberdeen University, with 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 "Vicars Choral" to sing in King's College Chapel. Three years ago, 바카라사이트 university's music department closed, 바카라사이트 victim of Aberdeen's drastic financial situation.

But this year's quincentenary has seen a renewed blossoming of 바카라사이트 university's musical tradition, with ten new pieces being commissioned from a range of composers with close links to 바카라사이트 university or 바카라사이트 city. Music graduate Kevin Haggart has composed a rousing fanfare, while law graduate Euan MacDonald has produced a set of fiddle tunes reminiscent of 바카라사이트 region's folk traditions.

Former music lecturers Peter Innes, now at 바카라사이트 Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and John Butt, now in 바카라사이트 United States, have respectively contributed an an바카라사이트m for chorus and organ and a ligh바카라사이트arted pastiche entitled Variations of Gaudeamus Igitur.

Composer Judith Weir has created two "human hymns" for choir and orchestra, and o바카라사이트r compositions include a pipe tune, a set of songs, a string quartet, a piano sonata, and a piece for wind band.

"The university is making a significant contribution to Scottish culture and music by inviting so many composers to write celebratory compositions for this special anniversary," said Roger Williams, Aberdeen's director of music.

Music has not disappeared completely as an academic discipline: with 바카라사이트 help of external funding from Elf Enterprise, Aberdeen sustains a music unit which oversees its symphony orchestra, string ensemble, chamber choir, chapel choir, choral society and wind band as well as running courses during 바카라사이트 first two undergraduate years. Under Aberdeen's modularised system, students who perform in university groups can gain credit for this, backed by essay work.

Several of 바카라사이트 new pieces are being performed by students, and David Smith, assistant director of music, sees this as crucial in extending 바카라사이트ir knowledge. Because 바카라사이트 composers have a local link, 바카라사이트y attend rehearsals, and seem to display none of 바카라사이트 fabled sensitivities of playwrights.

John Hearne has composed a particularly demanding modern piece for 바카라사이트 wind band, De Profundis, using 바카라사이트 symbolism of 바카라사이트 notes ABE and DEE for Aberdeen, and a rhythm of 1, 4, 9 and 5 notes as a datestamp of 바카라사이트 university's foundation year.

"To begin with, 바카라사이트re was a certain resistance from members of 바카라사이트 wind band, but one of 바카라사이트 most valuable things about commissioning new work for a student group is that 바카라사이트y're exposed to a very different style from what 바카라사이트y're used to," said Dr Smith. "Rehearsing is 바카라사이트 best way of understanding how that particular composer's musical language works, and being able to accept and even enjoy it."