LCO New scheme announces first cohort

London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) has announced the cohort for its LCO New scheme, designed to support emerging composers whose work hasn’t yet been performed by a professional orchestra.

The five successful applicants will take part in meetings and workshops over 4 months from June to September with LCO composer in residence, Freya Waley-Cohen.

Waley-Cohen said: ‘I’m very much looking forward to working with these talented composers and can’t wait to see what they create for the London Chamber Orchestra’s season launch concert in September.’

Each workshop offers participants the opportunity to work with LCO musicians, with the final session including a full Chamber orchestra, to compose a new piece which will be performed and recorded at LCO’s 22/23 season opening concert.

LCO New successful applicant Florence Anna Maunders said: ‘It's an incredible opportunity to collaborate in the creation of some really thrilling new sounds. I'm so looking forward to making incredible new noises together with these wonderful musicians!’

The five successful applicants are listed below:

• Maunders studied at the Royal Northern College of Music before pursuing a career as a jazz pianist, orchestral percussionist, electronic music producer, conductor and teacher. Having returned to composition, she is currently about to embark on a PhD at Cardiff University.
• British composer Robert Crehan from Luton, Bedfordshire studied composition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he became a Junior Fellow following his graduation in 2020. His music has been performed around the UK and internationally as well as on BBC Radio 3 and Birmingham Scratch Radio.
• Iranian-American composer Darius Paymai recently completed studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and has had work performed across the UK as well as broadcast on various radio stations.
• Composer and improvising musician, James Banner works to create opportunities for other composer-performers through commissioning, as well as pursuing his own composition career.
• Alexander Papp originally studied as a violinist but began to pursue composition after performing in an orchestra and imagining stories to the music.

Papp said: ‘Being able to write for a professional orchestra for the first time will allow me to take risks in the music and not hold back, something I feel very excited about!’

You can find out more about LCO New here.