sound (www.sound-scotland.co.uk) is a festival of new music which was set up by local organisations in North East Scotland with the aim of making new and contemporary music more accessible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. sound has been collaborating with schools and local councils since it was first formed in 2005, offering one-off workshops to schools. Although these workshops are much appreciated, it seems to us that a more long-term approach would be useful, working on projects that are of greater lasting value to pupils and teachers alike.

pianocircus was formed in 1989 to perform Steve Reich’s Six Pianos and has since built a repertoire of over one hundred works, the majority of which are written especially for the ensemble. The six pianists have a broad range of experience, from traditional western classical music to jazz, pop and rock, African and Asian traditional music, improvisation and composition. They work together collaboratively to create an ensemble like no other, their playing relying on equal interaction between the pianists creating a memorable musical and visual experience.

pianocircus has a strong commitment to music education and regularly runs education projects in the UK and abroad, ensuring not only quality of performance but also of the education project itself. These have included projects as diverse as DfEE funded schools’ workshops, amateur adult training for COMA and postgraduate projects with students from conservatoires and universities. They recently performed for the Exhibition Rd Festival giving performance and composition based workshops and are involved in Family Day Introduction on 9th August, as part of the 2009 Proms. They are currently Associate Artists at Brunel University, London.  

The premise of the pianocircus ' Keyboard Collective' project is to work with secondary school pupils in developing compositional and ensemble skills for multiple keyboards. It aims to reinvigorate classroom practice with new approaches to keyboard use.

The project will begin with a pianocircus performance in Aberdeen during the sound festival in November 2009 (date tbc), to which all participant pupils and teachers will be invited. The initial performance will be followed by a training Forum for the teachers and staff involved. Each school will then receive a half day workshop to introduce the aims of the project to students. pianocircus will visit four more times during the period of the project, with workshops drawing on techniques employed in pianocircus’ wide ranging and unique repertoire, and elements of the group’s innately theatrical and engaging performing style. The project includes mentoring by a leading composer and educational specialist and a professional development role for an assistant composer.

The intervening weeks will be supported and monitored by support staff from the schools involved. Other support would be offered in the form of email, video conferencing with the ensemble and composers involved in the mentoring process, and written support materials provided by pianocircus.

Pupils will rehearse and perform in their own new keyboard ensembles and develop their compositions, culminating in two final showcase performances in May 2010 – one in Nairn for the Highland schools and one in Aberdeen for the City and Shire schools.  

Colin Riley is a Senior Lecturer in Music and Composition at Brunel University, where he has worked collaboratively with Piano Circus over the last 5 years, including workshops, performances and commissions. He is a highly experienced teacher and composer and will provide classroom support, one to one online mentoring for students, as well as advising on composition and performance practise in masterclass sessions, leading up to the final performances of the project.

The musical focus at Brunel is firmly in the present, making the most of recent developments and changes, and looking creatively at the future. Brunel offers four undergraduate programmes in music, all firmly focussed on the music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Brunel does not ignore music of the past, but views it through the prism of contemporary musical activity, while providing a strong base of knowledge and craft to enable students to be flexible, skilful and creative 21st century musicians. www.brunel.ac.uk

Duncan MacLeod is currently a shortlist composer for Sound and Music and is an assistant mentor for the project. He will participate in classroom sessions, preparation for performances and advising about music technology and composing for keyboard. Duncan currently teaches at Trinity College of Music, the University of Hertfordshire and Goldsmiths College, University of London whilst being composer in residence at the Handel House Museum.

Sound and Music is the voice for new music and sound in the UK. From sharing information on our website to a full programme of live events, we raise the profile of new music and sound in its cultural context, to build support and audiences for innovative work. www.soundandmusic.org

Teachers and support staff involved will be provided with opportunities for appropriate ICT training (Midi and Sampling programming courses, MaxMSP and Sibelius 4/Cubase training) in partnership with the University of Aberdeen. This will enable them to use the keyboards present in Scottish schools appropriately and extensively. Spaces will be made for them to share this knowledge with fellow music teachers, increasing substantially the skills base within schools in each council. 'Piano Circus Ltd' will provide Guidelines and evaluation documentation in the public arena, at the end of this project, for further use.

The pupils involved will benefit not only through an increase in their keyboard skills, but also through allowing them a creative outlet, both in composition and performance, as well as enabling them to improve their team-work over an extended period of time.