Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer

Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) and Musical Theatre Network (MTN) have been awarded funding from the Cameron Mackintosh Foundation to support five placements as part of The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer Scheme over 2018-2022. We are delighted to announce the next placement will be hosted by British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT).

Through this scheme, professional musical theatre composers are paired with a company and given the opportunity to be involved in a range of work which could include composing assignments on the host company’s projects, setting text to music or working on development of their own musical theatre material. Recent venues have included the Royal Shakespeare Company; Dundee Rep; Lyric Hammersmith; Curve; and Leeds Playhouse.

The placement could begin in December 2021 but note that BYMT’s primary season is July/August 2022 and applicants should be free to commit throughout that period. The successful recipient receives a fee calculated to cover 6 months of a composer’s time, but this would be spread across a longer intermittent period to include key dates in BYMT’s timetable including July/August. The exact timetable and the projects to be worked on will be agreed in consultation between the composer and BYMT’s artistic planning teams. The opportunity is open to any applicant resident in the UK. It’s expected the successful applicant will attend BYMT offices in London on a regular basis. BYMT activities, however, take place across the UK and the successful candidate will need to travel to those sites/venues, staying over at BYMT accommodation where necessary.

‘As a company committed to creating new music theatre, we see this residency as an integral part of our programme for 2022 and look forward to meeting the applicants and discussing the range of opportunities that we can extend to the successful candidate. Making new work is at the heart of BYMT’s ethos. That’s what we love and what this post will become part of.’ Jon Bromwich, Executive Producer of BYMT

‘This is such an important opportunity for a composer to be embedded in the life of an organisation and develop their own craft whilst learning so much from those around them. We are delighted to be collaborating with BYMT to make this an exciting and challenging residency and grateful to The Cameron Mackintosh Foundation for supporting developing artists.’ Emily Gray, Executive Director, MMD

BYMT, MMD & MTN are passionate about diversifying voices in new musical theatre writing and broadening the art form. This placement would particularly suit a musical theatre composer interested in writing challenging work for young people, allowing them to benefit from a unique range of bespoke opportunities which may include:

Composing an original score for a devised/semi-devised musical theatre production at a UK venue. This will be a residential course outside London, summer 2022.

• Shadowing a composer/MD on a new musical in development, Easter 2022
• Observing and then leading young people’s online auditions, Jan-June 2022
• Being the MD for BYMT’s Christmas concert of Let It Snow 2021
• Shadowing and then running Discover Musical Theatre: school audition and careers days, Jan – Jun 2022
• Shadowing a composer/MD on Summer Camp 2022
• Acting as composer/MD for a second Summer Camp 2022
• R&D space / residency time at BYMT’s home at Mountview in Peckham, Southeast London, to develop your own work.
• Working with BYMT’s vocal coaching team delivering Masterclasses for pre-conservatoire students

The successful recipient will receive an all-inclusive fee of £11,000, plus £500 towards travel expenses, thanks to the generous support of The Cameron Mackintosh Foundation.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, you will need to be a musical theatre composer who has already had some work professionally produced (which can include paid work for a drama college or other training institute). By musical theatre, we mean anything where music and song drive narrative. You must be resident in the UK. We are looking for a clear on-going commitment to working in musical theatre. We encourage applicants from the broadest diversity of backgrounds, cultural heritages and identities.

Timetable

All applications must be received by midnight on 9th July 2021. If you have been shortlisted we will aim to let you know by 30th August. At this stage we expect interviews to take place during late October in London.

Please note the above is subject to change, but we will keep you updated at all times.

If you have any questions about your application, you can email martin@mercurymusicals.com or he can be reached on 020 7395 5461.

APPLY HERE