Third Ear Symposium 2012

An international line-up of music promoters, programmers, producers, curators, funders, artists and composers join together for a day of talks and discussions to consider models for commissioning, including finance, risk, rights, joint ventures and commissioning as a creative process.

Programme and speakers

10.30am - 11am
Arrival, registration and coffee

11am - 12 noon
Commissioning in an Age of Digital Distribution
- Chaired by Susanna Simons, Arts Council England and BBC's The Space
- Matthew Herbert, electronic musician and composer
- Maija Handover, sounduk, Sonic Journeys
- Britten Sinfonia - Peter Gregson, The Listening Machine
New technology, from smart-phone apps to online streaming, has opened up new possibilities for artists and promoters alike. This session looks at how digital media is used for wider distribution of new works (through live streaming and online documentation) and at how new technologies can form an integral part of the actual work of art. What are viable models, the impact on audiences and the implications for commissioners?

12.15pm - 1.15pm
New Models of Patronage, Part 1
The Changing Nature of Patronage and Philanthropy
- Chaired by Susanna Eastburn, Arts Council England
- Vernon Ellis, philanthropist and Chairman of English National Opera and the British Council
- Theresa Lloyd, author of Why Rich People Give and Cultural Giving
What are the economic models for commissioning, and how do those for music compare with those for other contemporary arts? What are patrons looking for, and how can commissioners best work with them? As the role of documentation becomes more important, what might the future hold for rights to the work? Who commissions work now, and where are the future markets for commissioners? How can the commissioning process add value for patrons and supporters?

1.15pm-2pm
Lunch

Please note lunch is not provided within the ticket price. During lunch hour - Presentation from NMC about the Music Map.

2pm - 2.45pm
New Models of Patronage, Part 2
Commissioning & Collecting Sound and Performance in the Visual Arts
- Paul Hobson, Contemporary Art Society
- Other speakers to be announced shortly

2.45pm - 3.30pm
New Models of Patronage, Part 3
Mobilising Communities to Fund Commissions
- Chaired by Vanessa Reed, PRS for Music Foundation
- Ed Harsh, New Music USA (via video link)
- Henrietta Norton, wedidthis.com
- Gwendolyn Tietze, BCMG

3.30pm - 4pm
Break

4pm - 5.15pm
Commissioning as a Creative Process
- Chaired by Graham McKenzie, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
- Jan Bang, Punkt Festival, Norway
- Barry Esson, Arika
- Gillian Moore, Southbank Centre
- Eric de Visscher, Cité de la Musique, Paris
Does the commissioner have a creative role to play? How can the creative process add value to new work for both commissioner and composer or artist? Is new work the result of the commissioning process, or can it be the commissioning process itself? What are the risks involved in commissioning and how - or should - they be managed?

Related Links
Third Ear Symposium