We Are OCA » Music

So farewell then, Ray Manzarek

Andrew — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:29:39 +0000

Sometimes an introduction becomes as famous as the piece that follows. The dramatic chords at the beginning of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto in Bb minor are instantly recognisable in their own right, even though their principal purpose is simply to command…

The post So farewell then, Ray Manzarek appeared first on We Are OCA.

Inspiration for all!

ChrisLawry — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:32:00 +0000

Reflections on the Birmingham Conservatoire Study Visit OCA students and staff joined colleagues from Birmingham Conservatoire for a day of rehearsals, debate and reflection, culminating in a concert to mark tutor Andy Glover’s recent birthday. Such study visits are an…

The post Inspiration for all! appeared first on We Are OCA.

Twentieth Century Pioneers: Varèse

Carla — Wed, 08 May 2013 09:00:48 +0000

‘An artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs’ (Edgard Varèse) If you could have dinner with anybody, from any era, who would it be? For me, the answer would undoubtedly be Edgard Varèse,…

The post Twentieth Century Pioneers: Varèse appeared first on We Are OCA.

Music or celebrity…?

Patric — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:59:46 +0000

The recent death of the conductor Sir Colin Davies, a venerable 85-year old one-time tyrant of the rostrum and the longest serving principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, deprives us of a formidable champion, not only of much British…

The post Music or celebrity…? appeared first on We Are OCA.

Compositional Process, Technology and Reception: An Interview

ChrisLawry — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:24:38 +0000

Following on from my past blogs regarding compositional tools for students, I want to take a look at how technology can affect the process and, in turn, the reception of a composition. Last December I happened upon a music video…

The post Compositional Process, Technology and Reception: An Interview appeared first on We Are OCA.

An unsung hero whose time has come (again!)

AndyG — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:31:58 +0000

Hands up all those who have heard of Friedrich Gernsheim? Yes, I thought so! Unless you are a sad case like me, who looks hard for these rarities, you almost definitely wouldn’t have chanced across him. The reason that he…

The post An unsung hero whose time has come (again!) appeared first on We Are OCA.

A life changing moment, a new website and a competition for composers!

Carla — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:58:27 +0000

For the last few years, I’ve been working on a PhD at the Royal College of Music. My research has been practice-based and has focused around Kingma System alto and bass flutes, their technical capabilities and their repertoire. The Kingma…

The post A life changing moment, a new website and a competition for composers! appeared first on We Are OCA.

Music study visit – Tuesday 30th April

Andrew — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:14:25 +0000

The first in what we hope will be a series of music study visits is planned for Tuesday 30th April at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Music tutor Andy Glover is hosting a concert to celebrate … erhm … a major birthday…

The post Music study visit – Tuesday 30th April appeared first on We Are OCA.

Music and literature

Patric — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:37:51 +0000

It is not at all difficult to discover the inspiration of great (and sometimes not so great) literature upon composers past and present, though there are some who for instance may have been more motivated by the reputation of Goethe,…

The post Music and literature appeared first on We Are OCA.

Mulling on David Bowie’s head

India — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:51:53 +0000

Since the release of David Bowie’s greatly anticipated new musical works, and his collaboration with the contemporary artist Tony Oursler on the video for the single ‘Where Are We Now’, I have been considering the relationship between art and music.…

The post Mulling on David Bowie’s head appeared first on We Are OCA.