New Music Brighton

New Music Brighton (NMB) is a collective of nearly 50 composers from across Sussex whose objectives are to promote its members' works mainly by putting on live concerts and, more generally, to promote interest in new music. It sees working with young people as an important part of achieving both these aims and for some years has been working with schools in the Brighton area and with Brighton & Hove Music and Performing Arts.

NMB has worked closely with Brighton & Hove Music and Performing Arts on four specific projects to date. In 2004 NMB members were invited by BHMPA to put forward proposals for a new work for percussion. The commission was awarded to Peter Copley and the piece was performed by percussion students in June of that year at a concert in St Peter's Church, Brighton. NMB members have also been involved in the Connecting programme. Patrick Harrex and Ric Graebner led composition workshops in a project for students from four schools. Patrick Harrex has also been working on a second orchestral project, alongside Jason Pegg of Brighton-based band Clearlake. In the autumn of 2005, related to visits to Brighton by members of the London Sinfonietta arranged by NMB, a series of workshops were organised by the composers for Brighton schools, partly funded by Brighton & Hove Music and Performing Arts, alongside Awards for All.

NMB has also put on other workshops independently; in 2001 for students from Blatchington Mill School and Sixth Form College and BHASVIC (Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College) and in 2004 for students from Blatchington Mill, BHASVIC and Brighton College.

More information about New Music Brighton, its members and forthcoming events can be found on its website: www.newmusicbrighton.co.uk