Performer-Composer
Residency
2022 Dates To Be Announced
Westben Centre for Connection & Creativity
Click Here to check out the pieces of the 2021 PCR!
…stay for a moment; stay for some hours; hang out and experience/play with new works collaboratively created by 2021 PCR participants
COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact. It continues to bring a tragic loss of life and a historic reconfiguration of many public spaces and digital places. As we cope with the pandemic’s complex changes, how can we improvise/compose flourishing environments filled with care and support? What imaginative futures might we inspire in each other?
Sounding mourning, togetherness, hope, dissonance, resonant futures, equitable/creative rebuilding…Welcome to Westben’s Performer-Composer Residency
— Dates —
2022 Application Deadline: Forthcoming
Residency Dates: Forthcoming
— Overview —
Westben’s Performer-Composer Residency is an international gathering of creative risk-takers whose practice involves some combination of both composition and performance. It is a breath-giving/intensive collaborative meeting place without genre restrictions–deeply woven into the beautiful rolling hills of where the barn sits—and from wherever you may be.
— Who might apply? —
This is not a typical summer music program; it is not based on a division between teachers and students, or tuition and competition. Designed for leading professional and dedicated emerging musicians from Canada and beyond, the Westben Performer-Composer Residency encourages a multi-generational exchange within a plurality of approaches to music making while sharing a commitment to building communities through music. Perhaps some of those interests may be improvisation, experimentation, expansion of an instrument(s), multi-stylistic compositional approaches, sound itself, language and voice, playing with the more-than-human, music technology, environmental installations, arts-based community making… Basically, as long as a singular title doesn't fit your musical resonance, this is for you.
— What does the program offer? —
As an artist-run centre, we are thrilled to host an “open-door” vibrant musical environment that cultivates both the freedom to experiment and an opportunity to exchange international and local perspectives. Your time with us will be tended by four (wonderful!) performer-composer facilitators and the attentive and loving Westben community. This is a place where original music-making is wholesomely supported and given a stage to flourish, within and beyond Westben’s breath-taking and inspiring barn and landscape. Our final works will be premiered through Westben’s Digital Venue. Together, we will catalyze a Performer-Composer collectivity that will last long beyond this residency.
— 2021 Iteration —
This year we intend to focus on post-pandemic hopes. We are calling for performer-composers from around the globe to participate in a digital month-long exchange of creative music-making and community building. Due to pandemic restrictions, participants will not be travelling to Westben this year. All work will be created remotely.
Over the course of the residency, each participant will perform and compose music in ensembles to be premiered during “the week of premieres” (July 26th-31st) on Westben’s Digital Venue! (Creations of any kind are welcomed, e.g. multimedia works, place-specific compositions, coordination of on the grounds/digital venue instrument building, COVID-safe works, etc.).
Pending COVID-19 restrictions, the Westben team is hopeful to host/facilitate a concert showing of our work on the Westben grounds on July 31st (while participants remain in our remote locations). More details to come!
We encourage participants to offer and attend public-facing workshops (broadly defined).
You will be supported by a team of residency facilitators who will regularly host spaces for collective collaborations/improvisations and knowledge sharing, and assist with artistic facilitation, technology, our digital communication hub, performance logistics, etc.
— 2021 Schedule Overview —
July 3rd - Townhall! This is our chance to meet all of the participants and the Westben team to kick things off
July 5th–22nd - Ensemble work, peer-led workshops, and social connections!
July 23rd - Deadline to submit final works
July 26th–31st - Week of premieres on Westben’s Digital Venue
— Fees —
There is no charge to participants to apply or attend. Depending on where you are applying from, the following list of Funding Resources may be helpful.
— Adjudication —
All applications are welcome and will be reviewed. However, we have limited hosting capacity and we will not be able to accept all applications. Applicants will be selected based on their submitted materials and how they may complement the pluralistic practices of other applicants. Applicants will be notified of their status as soon as the adjudication process is complete (ETA late April).
— 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 onerous but please do apply with care and commitment. Please prepare:
Answers to the following questions: What excites you about this residency? How might this residency deepen your work/creative practice? What kind of public or internal workshop might you be interested in leading?
A link to your work that represent your current artistic focus
— Contact —
We welcome and value any feedback, ideas, proposals or questions you may have in relation to the residency.
For more info email: westbenperformercomposers@gmail.com
Creative Director: Ben Finley
Facilitators: Sarah Reid, Davy Sumner, annais linares
— Volunteer —
We are always looking for volunteers (of any age!) to assist during the residency. If interested, please contact westbenperformercomposers@gmail.com with subject “PCR Volunteer”
Supportive | Open-door laboratory | Friendly | Stimulating | Welcoming | Encouraging | Nexus | garden | Exchange | Wide Listenerships | Non-competition focused | Collaborative | Life-affirming | a Meeting Place | Resilient | Renewably Co-designed || Expansion and Integration | Cross-pollination | It's a specific place and a shared place within | Sharing ways | Home(s) working conceptual blueprint ⤴
The Barn, Westben Centre for Connection & Creativity
