ChristopherBest.net

composer and writer

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I have over twenty years experience of education work, building up from adult education, though BTEC and A-Level teaching to designing and delivering modules for degree courses and supervising post-graduate students. I also teach privately and run residencies in collaboration between musicians and dancer/choreographers. I believe at its heart, education is about sharing experience and empowering others to find their artistic strengths, not about imparting pearls of knowledge to a passive audience. REQUEST CV


Lecturing

As senior lecturer and ‘Reader in Music Composition’ at Dartington College of Arts, I give tutorials and seminars in contemporary composition practice, lectures in many aspects of new music and some performance coaching. I also have a number of MA and Research students under my supervision.

I see close connections between teaching and creating my own work. Many of my pieces have been written either for students or performed by them. The college is well appointed with unusual instruments (always a gold-mine for the composer!) including a range of Ghanaian drums and percussion, a Balinese Gamelan orchestra in which I play, Japanese flutes, samba drums, Baroque instruments etc. I have also encouraged students to design and build their own instruments, often exploring non-standard tunings or playing methods.



Workshops

Having participated in the ‘Composers and Choreographers Exchange’ at the South Bank Centre in 1996, I went on to become its artistic director (music) for two years and from there continued similar work in Madrid. I now work alongside the choreographer Emilyn Claid, running the annual Music and Dance Exchange at Dartington College.



Mentoring and tutoring

I am available for private composition coaching, mentoring or consultation work, including help with score/part-writing, questions of notation etc. For availability and rates, please contact me by e-mail or by phone.

Updated Sept 08

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