— The 5th Annual —

Performer-Composer Residency

at the *Westben Centre for Connection & Creativity*
June 1st-25th, 2022

Apply here

— Overview —

The Performer-Composer Residency (PCR) is an annual collaborative gathering where diverse listeners and performer-composers build relationships and connect through creating music and exchanging perspectives. It is grounded at Westben, a ‘music farm’ nestled in the rolling hills of the traditional lands of the Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg near what is known as Campbellford, Ontario. Instead of traditional teacher-student models, the PCR celebrates a wide range of musical practices, ages, and cultural backgrounds in a supportive peer-driven environment. The participants of the PCR often find themselves in between composing music, bringing it to life in performance, organizing arts-based forms of community making, and more. We try to cheer all of that on! Here, we embrace the complex intersections we inhabit as humans/community members/artists as we seek to share and create music together.

☀ Stay tuned for future public PCR events on this page ☀

↯ Explore past musical works and find application information below ↯

stay with us for a moment; stay for some hours. thanks for being here!

Welcome to the ‘Land Between’ Ecotone

“Westben is located on a strip of land that has come to be known as “the Land Between.” It is a *meeting space* between ecosystems – it’s a transitional zone, rich with transformative interspecies enmeshment, and the ways it changes can indicate global climate shifts, too” (Sarah van den Berg, *Bringing The Barn Online and Le Cadavre Exquis: Pandemic-era musicking at the Westben Centre for Connection and Creativity).*

Apply here

2022 Digital Performer-Composer Application Information

— 2022 Dates —

Residency Dates: June 1st–June 25th

2022 Application Deadline: March 7th, 2022, by midnight Eastern Time

— Who might apply? —

Creative risk-takers whose practice involves some combination of both composition and performance. The Performer-Composer Residency (PCR) is not a typical summer music program; it is not about competition or based on a division between teachers and students. The PCR encourages a multi-generational exchange, a plurality of approaches to music-making, and a commitment to building communities through music. Perhaps some of those interests may be improvisation, experimentation, arts-based community making, expansion of an instrument(s), multi-stylistic compositional approaches, exploring sound itself, language and voice, playing with the more-than-human, music technology, environmental installations…Basically, as long as a singular title doesn't fit your musical resonance, this is for you.

— What does the residency offer? —

The digital 2022 PCR offers an opportunity to make lasting, meaningful connections with creative musicians and curious listeners from across the globe in a nurturing environment that cultivates both the freedom to experiment and a place to exchange international and local perspectives. Your time with us will be tended by four Residency Facilitators along with members of the attentive and loving Westben community to help with all levels of logistics, hosting, and virtual organizing.

— What to Expect —

Ensemble Creations (5+ hours per week)

Each participant will be a part of an international ensemble of around 4-5 members. The Residency Facilitators will caringly/daringly curate these ensembles to complement overlapping participant interests and time commitment availability.
Participants will collaboratively compose/perform a roughly 15-minute piece with their ensemble throughout the residency.
These pieces will be housed on Wesben’s beautiful Digital Venue (our sound-playground/digital concert farm inspired by the Westben grounds) and released during “The Week of Premieres.”
Each ensemble will have the dedicated help of a Residency Facilitator for guidance, logistical planning, and support.

Sharing our Practices (1–4 hours per week)

We will have scheduled times throughout the month for participants to share a bit about their practice.
These sessions will be on Zoom and open to the public to get to know and inspire each other.
Participants are free to use this time however they wish, e.g. introducing themselves, sharing a piece of work, leading a short participatory work (approximately 10 minutes each, complete scheduling to be determined).

Cohort Connections (variable time commitment)

This year we are planning to host cross-cohort connections on various platforms. We will hold scheduled events for things like social times, open mics, random improv pairings, sharing a remote meal together, collaborating with other participants, sharing ensemble processes, telling stories by the digital campfire and whatever else!
Based on feedback from past digital participants, we have found that cultivating free-form social time to be really important in fostering friendships and connections/collaborations beyond the residency. We look forward to playing in this space with you and hearing your ideas!

Peer-led Workshops/Activities (variable time commitment)

In the spirit of learning from each other and embracing the knowledges we all hold, we welcome applicants to propose leading a 45-minute workshop/activity of any kind in their applications. Hosting a workshop/activity is a completely optional component of the residency. Please note we may not be able to accommodate all workshop proposals. Depending on your preference, these sessions could be open to the public or only internal to the cohort.

The Week of Premieres

The exciting culmination of sharing wherever our ensemble work takes us!
We will release a few ensemble works per day throughout the final week and they will continue to live on Digital Venue.
We will also host public community listening parties each day where we invite the creators to share parts of the process.

— 2022 Schedule Overview* —

June 1st - Townhall! Meet all of the participants and the Westben team to kick things off!

June 1st–5th - We will take a few days to get familiar with each other, our digital platforms, and the schedule.

June 6th–17th - Ensemble Creations, Sharing our Practices, Cohort Connections, and Peer-led Workshops!

June 17th - Deadline to submit final ensemble works.

June 20th–24th - The Week of Premieres on Westben’s Digital Venue

June 25th - In-person screening at Westben of 2022 PCR works. Pending Covid restrictions, participants who are within driving distance may be able to be involved in-person for this event. More details forthcoming.

*Subject to change

— Time Commitment —

We expect that you contribute a minimum of approximately 8 hours throughout each week of the residency (June 1st–25th). Anything above this minimum estimate is welcome.

— Digital Tools —

Slack will be our primary text communication platform. We will be using Zoom as video meeting platforms and Google Drive as a storage platform. We are currently looking into also providing other digital platforms for social cohort connections. We can offer technical help for any of these tools if needed; please let us know if any of these services are a barrier to your participation.

— Fees —

There is no charge to participants to apply or attend. Please note that there is no artist fee or honorarium for attending this program. We are happy to write letters of support for grant applications. Depending on where you are applying, the following list of Funding Resources may be helpful.

— Application —

Apply online. If you don’t have a google account, please send an email to westbenperformercomposers@gmail.com for other easy ways to apply!

The application is intentionally not too demanding, but please apply with care and commitment. Please prepare answers to the following:

What excites you about this residency? Why do you wish to apply? How might this residency deepen your work/creative practice? 700 words max
Please provide 3 direct links to pieces/projects that you’d like us to experience.
Based on your projected schedule/commitments, how many hours per week do you expect to be able to contribute to the residency? (8-hour minimum)
Would you be interested in hosting a 45-minute workshop/activity of any kind for other participants or the public? If so, please provide a brief description (hosting a workshop/activity is completely optional). 120 words max
Please let us know how you found out about this program. And, anything else you'd like to add?

— Adjudication —

All applications are welcome and carefully reviewed. Each year we are humbled to receive so many incredible applications. We try to respect our limited hosting capacities to provide what we believe to be an attentive environment for all involved. As a result, we, unfortunately, may not be able to accept all applications. Applicants will be selected based on their submitted materials and how we believe they may complement the pluralistic practices of other applicants. If we cannot offer you a spot, please understand that this is not about your artistic merit. Please reach out if you have any questions about the application. Applicants will be notified of their status when the adjudication process is complete (late March).

— Feedback —

We hope this residency serves as a re-energizing meeting place for creative musicians and curious listeners, and fills the gap of tuition-less opportunities connecting diverse music practitioners. We are constantly learning and growing on this path with the help of past and potential participants. We highly welcome and value any constructive feedback, ideas, proposals or questions you may have regarding the residency.

— Contact —

For more info, email: westbenperformercomposers@gmail.com

PCR Team: Ben Finley (Creative Director/Facilitator), Sarah Reid (Facilitator), Davy Sumner (Facilitator), annais linares (Facilitator), Samantha Clark (Community Connections), Gao Yujie (Creative Support), Luke Williams (Digital Venue Design)

— Volunteer —

We are always looking for volunteers (of any age!) to assist during the residency. If interested, please get in touch with westbenperformercomposers@gmail.com with the subject “PCR Volunteer”