The world of classical music is constantly evolving, and the recent enCORE Accelerando event in Budapest, Hungary, showcased some of the most innovative ideas and projects shaping the future of the genre. Organised by JM International, the global event, which took place from 3-6 June 2023, brought together young classical musicians from 11 countries to present their groundbreaking ideas.
Two prominent figures who used the EU SMART Composer resources during the enCORE Accelerando event were Marta Lozano Molano from Wazo Coop and Omar Sharhyar from RESEO. Both acted as coaches, guiding the participants as they developed their ideas and presented them to a professional jury.
The enCORE Accelerando event culminated in the participants presenting their elevator pitches at the Bach 2 Future event at Müpa Budapest. This event aimed to inform professionals and institutions about future trends in classical music. The jury, which included Marta Lozano Molano, awarded three phenomenal projects that showcased innovative approaches to classical music.
In conclusion, the EU SMART Composer project, with its emphasis on practical tools and skills development, has played a key role in shaping the future of classical music. The enCORE Accelerando event in Budapest was a testament to the success of the project, with young talents such as Marta Lozano Molano and Omar Sharhyar leading the way.
We are entering the final stretch of the project with important new developments.
First of all, we are happy that the project has been extended in time and we will be able to further develop our methodology and tools.
Secondly, we would like to tell you about our transt¡national meeting that took place on the 4th and 5th of May in Cáceres (Spain).
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?
As you know, EU SMART Composer is a biannual Erasmus + project that is developing a practical tool to facilitate knowledge transfer between music teachers and their students to improve their employability.
The international consortium behind EU SMART Composer consists of Coompanion Göteborg ek. för (Sweden), the coordinating entity, Consorzio Materahub Industrie Culturali e Creative (Italy), Abbaye aux Dames – La cite musicale-Saintes (France),Le Laba(France), RESEO– European Network for Opera and Dance Education (Belgium) and Wazo Coop -Social cooperative (Spain).
From September 12th to 17th we held our LTTA in the impressive city of Matera (Italy), each organization we had the pleasure to invite several people from our different countries to receive the training that we had finished developing and defining in our previous Transnational meeting, held in Saintes (France).
Our guests (trainees) were going to become a fundamental element of our project, since their relationship with musical composition, their professional background and their different points of view, would be decisive to improve our methodology.
Since then we have had multiple online working sessions where we started to prepare our practical tool in the form of a transmedia manual. Our meeting in Caceres was the ideal place to finish defining our objectives.
First of all, WAZO COOP hosted us in the wonderful city of Caceres (in Extremadura), a place full of heritage and cultural life. Wazo is also in charge of the communication of the project, and was able to present to the other partners the results achieved by EU SMART COMPOSER on the website and social networks.
There was also space to talk about the event that would take place the next day (the Meet Up of Cultur Coop, a project developed by Wazo Coop and funded by the Spanish Ministry of Culture). In this event EU SMART COMPOSER, would be presented as an example of good practice and would be the ideal place to hold the Multiplier Event in Spain.
COOMPANION was in charge of leading the meeting, and we had the opportunity to make an exhaustive review of our achieved objectives and the work that is still in progress. COOMPANION also gave us the good news that we will have a final EU SMART COMPOSER event in September in Goteborg (Sweden).
MATERAHUB, on the other hand, informed us about the latest developments of the transmedia manual, where they informed us about the progress in the drafting of the manual, the innovative ideas they have on how to turn it into a useful and effective transmedia tool.
RESEO was in charge of facilitating a coherence between our first steps (the framework) and the manual, so that all the competences we consider essential are materialised in the final tool.
ABBAYE AUX DAMES and LE LABA, were in charge of including the learning acquired by all of us during the training period we developed in Matera, making sure that the training modules had space and weight in the manual.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Our next steps are to finalise the development and publication of the handbook, as well as to hold various multiplier events in our home countries.
We will also have the opportunity to meet again in September in Gothenburg (Sweden) for our final event!
It is always a pleasure to see that a project is successfully moving forward, but to measure such success we have to put into practice all the theory that we have been developing in the last years from EU SMART Composer.
From September 12th to 17th we held our LTTA in the impressive city of Matera (Italy). Materahub welcomed us with open arms and the city became one more element of our project, because of its vibrant activity, the hospitality of its people and the wonderful heritage that surrounded us.
As you know, EU SMART Composer is a biannual Erasmus + project that is developing a practical tool to facilitate knowledge transfer between music teachers and their students to improve their employability.
The international consortium behind EU SMART Composer consists of Coompanion Göteborg ek. för (Sweden), the coordinating entity, Consorzio Materahub Industrie Culturali e Creative (Italy), Abbaye aux Dames – La cite musicale-Saintes (France),Le Laba(France), RESEO– European Network for Opera and Dance Education (Belgium) and Wazo Coop -Social cooperative (Spain).
This time it was not only an internal meeting of the project partners, but from each organization we had the pleasure to invite several people from our different countries to receive the training that we had finished developing and defining in our previous Transnational meeting, held in Saintes (France).
Our guests (trainees) were going to become a fundamental element of our project, since their relationship with musical composition, their professional background and their different points of view, would be decisive to improve our methodology.
On Monday the 12th, we welcomed all the trainees who were going to share 5 days of training and discussion. We met informally at dinner to talk about the activities of the following days, as well as to get in touch with the city of Matera.
On Tuesday 13th, the activities started in the morning with Coompanion & Reseo and we had the opportunity to get an overview of the EU SMART Composer method of vocational education and training (VET).
Coompanion welcomed all participants to the working week.
We also started with the experiential learning process devised for contemporary composition students in Europe.
Module 1 («Introduction & Approach») by RESEO served to put the participants in context with the reality of contemporary composers and familiarize them with the EU SMART Composer Competence Framework through the analysis of composer case studies.
We were able to de- and re-construct the concepts of entrepreneurship, marketing and branding for composers.
At this point, participants were given the basic theoretical principles and introduced to social economic models that can provide composers with more appropriate ways to build their business in line with their values.
During the afternoon we continued with Module 2 («Empowerment & Leadership») by Coompanion, a very inspiring and interactive module. We learned about the importance of empowerment and awareness when developing a solid project.
Wednesday 14th was the day dedicated to exploring cases and experience. We developed this through practical activities, useful tools to develop a more balanced and socially relevant entrepreneurial project such as a more gender balance in one’s organisation or working with others and techniques for collaboration.
This led the participants to Module 3 (“Cooperative entrepreneurship”) by Wazo Coop and Matera Hub , which after an introduction to social economy, focused on entrepreneurial and business tools to stimulate a more entrepreneurial and cooperative approach to music business.
During this module we were able to develop practical tools that clarified many concepts, in addition to being able to debate and of course, have fun learning.
We arrived on Thursday 15th full of energy to face the second part of module 3, more focused on the business model and the tool «Social model Canvas», where trainees could clarify their ideas, their projects and their goals.
In the afternoon it was the turn to introduce the last module, Module 4 (“Branding & Marketing)” by Abbaye aux Dames and Le Laba, which, building on the previous days, concluded the training course by making the trainees reflect on their own personal and business narrative.
The last day of the LTTA, Friday the 16th was a special and emotional day for many reasons.
We dedicated the morning to explore the tools to elaborate a communication plan for each participant/brand with the help of RESEO.
We wanted to dedicate Friday afternoon to a general recapitulation and discussion on the quality of the training and on the real possibility of implementation of our project.
This day turned out to be a unique experience where all the participants expressed themselves about their learning acquired during the week. But not only that, it was also a special moment, full of emotional testimonies that filled us with energy and gave us strength to face the last part of our EU SMART Composer project.
We are pleased to present the series of three Webinars that we have developed from EU Smart Composer. In these three webinars, we have had the pleasure of chatting with experts, focused on acquiring skills and knowledge in the world of classical composition.
They have addressed topics such as entrepreneurship and motivation, cross-cutting issues such as inclusion and climate change and the importance of networking in young composers.
The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Wednesday 8 June 14:00 – 15:30 CET
The first webinar in the EU SMART Composer series, hosted by RESEO (Belgium) and Wazo Coop (Spain) will explore the concept of composer entrepreneurs and their motivation. Participants will hear composer and activist Marta Lozano Molano share her experience of pioneering composer entrepreneurship in Spain, and will examine how the Social Economy Model of enterprise could revolutionise our industry to become both more profitable and more sustainable. (Language: English)
Cross-cutting issues: Gender, Inclusion and Climate Change
Wednesday 15th June 14:00 – 15:30 CET
The second webinar in the EU SMART Composer series, presented by MateraHub (Italy) and Coompanion (Sweden), will explore the relationship between entrepreneurship and cross-cutting issues such as inclusion and climate change. Guest speakers Dr. Michelle Phillips from the Royal Northern College of Music (UK) and composer and intendant Bernard Foccroulle (France) will share their experiences of how artist entrepreneurs can engage with these issues, giving participants insight into the opportunities and influences to be sought in a challenging industry. (Language: English)
Networking for Composers
Wednesday 22 June 14:00 – 15:30 CET
The third webinar in the EU SMART Composer series, presented by La LABA (France) and l’Abbaye aux Dames (France), will highlight networking and its value for contemporary classical composers. In examining cutting-edge theory alongside the practical experiences of composer entrepreneurs, participants will better understand how, where and – crucially – why to network for better opportunities. (Language: English)
About EU Smart Composer
EU SMART Composer is an Erasmus+ programme to develop a methodology to support VET Music Educators in their teaching to music students who compose new music.
EU SMART Composer practical tool will facilitate VET Music Educator-Music Students knowledge transfer to improve their employability.
EU Smart Composer is a two-year strategic partnership project funded by the Erasmus+ programme that brings together six European partners to explore music education and composition methodologies for educators as well as the branding, digital marketing and entrepreneurship skills that are necessary for young composers today.
Society has changed significantly over the past decade. Music students study harmony and creative techniques to compose new music during their studies at music institutions, while composers are expected to meet with orchestras and ensembles etc interested in commissioning a piece of music.
The Smart Composer project aims to help composers upskill in order to foster their employability and the sustainability of their projects.
EU Smart Composer invites you to participate in a series of Webinars to learn more about social entrepreneurship, networking and cooperation for composers.
Wednesday 8 June 14:00 – 15:30 CET
The first webinar in the EU SMART Composer series, hosted by RESEO (Belgium) and Wazo Coop (Spain), will examine the concept of composer entrepreneurs and their motivation. Participants will hear composer and activist Marta Lozano Molano share her experience of pioneering composer entrepreneurship in Spain, and will examine how the Social Economy Model of enterprise could revolutionise our industry to become both more profitable and more sustainable. (Language: English)
Cross-cutting issues: Gender, Inclusion and Climate Change
Wednesday 15th June 14:00 – 15:30 CET
The second webinar in the EU SMART Composer series, presented by MateraHub (Italy) and Coompanion (Sweden), will explore the relationship between entrepreneurship and cross-cutting issues such as inclusion and climate change. Guest speakers Dr. Michelle Phillips from the Royal Northern College of Music (UK) and composer and intendant Bernard Foccroulle (France) will share their experiences of how artist entrepreneurs can engage with these issues, giving participants insight into the opportunities and influences to be sought in a challenging industry. (Language: English)
The third webinar in the EU SMART Composer series, presented by Le LABA (France) and l’Abbaye aux Dames (France), will highlight networking and its value for contemporary classical composers. In examining cutting-edge theory alongside the practical experiences of composer entrepreneurs, participants will better understand how, where and – crucially – why to network for better opportunities. (Language: English)
Smart Composer is a two-year strategic partnership project funded by the Erasmus+ programme that brings together six European partners to explore music education and composition methodologies for educators as well as the branding, digital marketing and entrepreneurship skills that are necessary for young composers today.
Society has changed significantly over the past decade. Music students study harmony and creative techniques to compose new music during their studies at music institutions, while composers are expected to meet with orchestras and ensembles etc interested in commissioning a piece of music.
The Smart Composer project aims to help composers upskill in order to foster their employability and the sustainability of their projects.
EU SMART COMPOSER is a biannual Erasmus + project that is developing a practical tool to facilitate the transfer of knowledge between music teachers and their students to improve their employability. This project stems from the Composer Boost program developed in Extremadura in recent years by Wazo Coop.
The international consortium promoting EU SMART Composer is formed by Coompanion Göteborg ek. för (Sweden), the coordinating entity, Consorzio Materahub Industrie Culturali e Creative (Italy), Abbaye aux Dames – Lacite musicale-Saintes (France), Le Laba (France), RESEO- European Network for Opera and Dance Education (Belgium) and Wazo Coop (Spain).
On September 15th and 16th, the transnational meeting of the European project EU SMART COMPOSER took place at the Abbaye Aux Dames in Saintes, France.
The activities began on the morning of Wednesday September 15 with a guided tour of the Abbaye aux Dames, where we had the opportunity to enjoy and learn about its impressive heritage, as well as to deepen the important musical activity of the building.
This was followed by Diana Ghine a from Coompanion, who shared with the rest of the consortium the progress of the EuSmartComposer project management, monitoring and reporting.
The morning was spent with a continuous debate on the project and the different points of view of the consortium and we were able to learn from RESEO the results of the previous desk research and the results of the surveys conducted by the different organizations that make up the consortium.
The afternoon began with Wazo Coop and RESEO leading the debate on the different approaches to the didactic method of the project and the sharing of the case studies carried out by each partner.
The end of the day was a very interesting opportunity for the different people who are part of the consortium to get to know each other better, sharing concerns and points of view about EuSmartComposer, as well as about different aspects related to our work.
The day of Thursday, September 16 began with an intense activity of co-design of the training packs, where we had the opportunity to focus on the needs in terms of branding, entrepreneurship, digital marketing and leadership. These activities were led by Wazo Coop and also involved an interesting debate on the different aspects discussed.
Then Marta Lozano Molano from Wazo Coop shared the project launched through a crowdfunding campaign «Música Social» as a success story, the publication of a method of musical composition and piano that facilitates education in values in young people according to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030.
During the afternoon, several workshops of co-design and debate on the results (Intellectual Outputs) of EuSmartComposer took place, with the participation of all the organizations, to later share the results and expectations of the Transnational Meeting and say goodbye knowing a little more about the cities of Saintes and Bordeaux.
