Current Projects

Insight

We are delighted to have been awarded Youth Music funding to support the Insight training project.

This project will give 10 early career musicians from under-represented backgrounds the opportunity to develop their own 2-day project to engage young people with classical music. They will learn the skills needed to co-create an engaging project, receive mentoring from our expert team and deliver their project on a professional basis. 

 This project has three phases: 

• Honing their Skills 

• Developing their Idea 

• Delivering their Project 

Our 10 participants will attend a 5-day residential course, held at the University of Nottingham. During the course they will develop the skills they need to deliver high-quality music activity for children and young people. Activities will help build communication, collaboration, teamwork and performance skills, while also building their skills and confidence in co-creation, creative development, inclusive practice and creating work for Early Years. 

Team:

We are delighted that the Insight project will be led by a fabulous team of experienced and inspirational individuals:

Trina Haldar (Course Leader), Trina is the Founder and Artistic Director of national touring company Mashi theatre, Associate Director: Festival and Programming at The Spark Arts for Children in Leicester. As a Freelancer she works as a Director, facilitator, consultant in Diversity, Equality and Inclusion and is also a Giggle Doctor with the Teodora Children’s Charity.

Rosie Bergonzi (Creative Mentor), With a classical grounding from Guildhall School of Music and Drama Rosie is a flxible musician. Equally at home in a symphony orchestra as perched on a cjon she’s worked on stage and in theatre pits, with Chineke! and LSO, Neneh Cherry and Spitalfields Music. Rosie is also passionate about creating music in community settings working with early years, SEN young people, professional and non-professional musicians to make and perform music.

Sophie Rivlin (Musical Director), Sophie is a London-based cellist and performer who, in addition to playing tranditional concerts, has a particular interest in presenting chamber music imaginatively to audiences via the means of theatrical concerts. As well as being a founding member of TROUPE, she is the Creative Director, and regular Musical Director, at MishMash Productions with whom she has performed regularly across the UK and abroad. As Musical Director and Co-Director she has led collaborations with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia and Scottish Ensemble.

With additional sessions delivered by the MishMash founder and Artistic Director, Liz Muge; Movement and Early Years specialist Liz Clark; MEHEM Uprising Leader and SEND specialist Ben Sellers and Nottinghamshire based Able Orchestra and Digit musician Jess Fisher.

About the Opportunity:

We are excited to launch the Insight project.  A development programme for early career musicians aged 18 - 25, targeting those from groups currently under-represented in the classical music sector.  

The project will provide paid, practical training for musicians interested in developing skills in a more theatrical and audience focused presentation of music.  A 5-day residential course delivered by a range of experienced trainers and mentors will be followed by an opportunity to deliver pilot performances in school and early years settings. 

We are particularly interested in applications from musicians currently under-represented in our sector, including those from the global majority; disabled, trans and neuro diverse musicians.

Dates:

• Residential training project at the University of Nottingham from Monday 8th - Friday 12th January 2024

• Pilot projects in settings around Nottingham will be delivered over 2 days (to be decided) of the week commencing Monday 15th January 2024.

This is a paid freelance opportunity, with fees and expenses as follows:

• Fee: £1,200 total fee - to include 5 training days, 2 workshop/performance days and a memorising fee of £150

• Travel: reasonable travel expenses to/from Nottingham will be paid on receipt of an invoice to cover two return trips (1. for the residential training course, and 2. for the pilot project the following week)

• Accommodation: 4 nights accommodation at the University of Nottingham, with all meals provided, for the period of Monday 8th - Friday 12th January.  In addition 1 further night accommodation with away from home per diems will be provided for the pilot project delivery the following week (dates to be agreed)

How to Apply:

To apply to participate in this project please 
1) Complete this online form by 5pm on Wednesday 15th November and
2) Send your CV* to liz@mishmashproductions.co.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 15th November

*If you feel your CV doesn't demonstrate your full potential feel free to also send us a video example of your work.

We are very happy to chat with applicants if you would like to speak to us informally before making an application.  To arrange a call please email liz@mishmashproductions.co.uk.

Selections will be made on the following criteria:
1) Aspirations of the applicant (interest in audience engagement, inclusive practice, and alternative approaches to performance).
2) Instrumentation (applicants will be formed into small chamber ensembles for the project so we need to be mindful of the instrument balance of participants) 
3) Musical ability and musicianship (ability to rehearse and perform to a professional level with colleagues in small chamber ensembles is a requirement).

Past Projects

Accel. project for early career musicians from currently under-represented groups

Accel. development programme for young musicians aged 18 - 25 targets those from groups currently under-represented in the classical music sector. The project provided paid, practical training for musicians interested in developing skills in a more theatrical presentation of music. This residential course, in association with Ishani O'Connor of 1WayUp Ltd, was delivered by a range of experienced trainers and mentors over three days at the University of Nottingham.

Reflections on the Musicians Development Projects held in December 2021 and July 2022:

Directors R&D

In 2020 and 2021 we held a number of R&D sessions with theatre directors exploring new collaborations. We are always interested in meeting creatives from the fields of dance/physical theatre, puppetry and children’s theatre to explore different approaches and creatives practice so please do get in touch if you’d be interested in exploring an R&D session with us.

Composers R&D

In spring 2021, we commissioned two composers to write new string trios for us, which we then explored with two theatre directors. This is a process designed to explore new collaborations between composers, instrumentalists and directors.

Ensemble R&D

During 2021 we delivered training R&D sessions with The Royal Northern Sinfonia, Chineke! Foundation and the Scottish Ensemble and are thrilled that this has led to new co-productions being developed. Chasing Dots, a co-production with The Royal Northern Sinfonia premiered at the Sage in Gateshead in March 2022 and in Sync, a new production with the Scottish Ensemble premiered in Glasgow in September 2022.