July/August 1999   Spectrum 2 - 30 miniatures for solo piano. The response to the first Spectrum anthology showed, in a most gratifying way, that there is a hunger for contemporary music among players of all ages and of widely different attainments. And now a volume of thirty specially commissioned easier pieces, Spectrum 2, has just been published. Addressing, for the moment, early instrumental experience, it is clearly essential that high quality new music should be available to children: we have a responsibility to ensure that they are familiar with the languages of our time. Furthermore, the communal and private delight, discipline and co-ordination that are all part of making music are enriched by the sense of exploration and discovery attached to preparing a new work, as well as the awareness that few (if any) others have played it before. This last factor has been a revelation to me: I had not appreciated how much the freedom from the weight of a performance tradition can contribute to the growth of confidence. In recent years there has been much contact between professional orchestras, ensembles, composers and schoolchildren. Although of variable quality, many of these projects have clearly been invaluable in providing inspiration and stimulus to teachers and students. If such exercises lead to regular, structured involvement, the long-term benefits may be rich indeed. What has been largely ignored, though, is the need for relatively easy, musically uncompromising new instrumental works by our finest composers: pieces that are both modest in technical challenge and duration, whilst being identifiably in their composersÕ concert-music style. Emphatically not studies, emphatically not jokey pieces patronisingly written Ôfor childrenÕ - but pieces that lie within the technical grasp of non-professional players and are, at the same time, entirely suitable for the concert platform. Such music of this kind that exists is little published. It is crazy that good contemporary music should be the exclusive preserve of professional performers. The Spectrum collections for solo piano, although they are intended for amateur and professional players at least as much as for children, aim to address this lack. Besides offering players an introduction to many styles in new music, the pieces have also proved useful models for student composers. Since ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd produced the first volume in 1996, there have been numerous performances by students, amateurs and professionals in this country and professional performances have taken place as far afield as the USA and Vietnam. Set pieces have been chosen from Spectrum for examinations and festivals. The need and demand for such music is clear. Please, composers and publishers, provide us with more - for all instruments. ÔMy daughter now approaches contemporary pieces as naturally as she does music of the eighteenth centuryÕ (parent of a Spectrum-owning student) ÔI thought it was really weird at first but I love it nowÕ (student performer at the world premi�re) ÔOf course, IÕd much rather be listening to the Missa SolemnisÕ (old lady in front row at a recital I gave last summer) ÔAt last - a piece by a new complexity composer that I can playÕ (adult amateur) Thalia Myers Spectrum - 20 contemporary works for solo piano and Spectrum 2 - 30 miniatures for solo piano are published by ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd. They were commissioned by Thalia Myers with financial assistance from the Arts Council of England, The Holst Foundation and The Britten-Pears Foundation (Spectrum) and from the Britten-Pears Foundation (Spectrum 2). The monthly listings magazine new notes is essential reading for composers, performers, and everyone interested in what's new in new music. In its printed version new notes reaches over 5,000 contemporary music enthusiasts in the UK and around the world. If you promote new music events you should advertise them in new notes. Single concert listings are just £60+VAT. The magazine also features ads for festivals, composer competitions, recordings and more. new notes also features monthly articles on issues at the forefront of new music special offers on CDs, tickets, scores and books for spnm members information about forthcoming spnm events a free classified section for spnm members' non-trade ads. For full details on advertising or inserting leaflets in new notes please contact the Editor Rachel Duncombe: e-mail telephone fax

Event listings for this month   Previous articles: June 1999 Hoxton Hall New Music Days May 1999 Bath International Music Festival is 50. April 1999 Who is Georges Aperghis? March 1999 On frost, birth and death February 1999 Keeping busy... January 1999 Now that's what I call contemporary! December 1998 Forty years of madness? November 1998 To plug in or not to plug in? October 1998 No, honestly it is a cello September 1998 Composing for film July/August 1998 New music on old instruments June 1998 Blue sheep of record companies May 1998 spnm looks to the future April 1998 New Music 98 in Manchester