Composer and Arranger

 

Arrangements

Emma creates bespoke large-scale orchestral arrangements for the National Orchestra for All. This is an inclusive 100-piece orchestra with young players who have just started their instrument sitting alongside post-grade 8 players. Each year the orchestra is different, depending upon the nominees, and the orchestral template is tailored to the experiences and abilities of the players – down to the individual part when necessary. Emma also conducts the orchestra and so gets to know the players which helps her to create parts that work well for them!

Emma also creates arrangements for the Modulo programme of Orchestras for All. This is a schools programme, and the arrangements are flexible in some sense – although parts are written specifically for instruments, but there are parts written in every instrument for beginners to grade 5 standard.

‘Of particular note is how the easy parts don’t just accommodate the range of notes playable by those musicians but they are musically engaging, relevant to the rest of the pieces musically and have enough of an element of repetition that the musicians can enjoy the experience of making music rather than just fearing about playing the right notes’

Examples of arrangements

NightMail, End Sequence, Benjamin Britten. Arrangement for the National Orchestra for All, 2018.

Keelie Makolay, Trad. African. Song arranged for Chorus and Orchestra for NOFA 2018 and Orchestras for All Modulo Programme 2018-2019

Pastime With Good Company, Anon. Arrangement for Modulo Programme, OFA 2018 -2019

Two Opera Choruses: Anvil Chorus, Verdi, Pilgrims Chorus, Wagner Arranged for the National Orchestra for All 2018

La Rotta, Medieval Dance Tune inclusive and flexible arrangement for the Modulo Programme, OFA 2017-2018

Waltz No. 2 from Jazz Suite 2, Shostakovich, inclusive and flexible arrangement for the Modulo Programme, OFA 2017-2018

Korobeiniki, Trad. Russian,  inclusive and flexible arrangement for the Modulo Programme, OFA 2017-2018

Symphony 104, Mov 3, Minuet, Haydn, inclusive and flexible arrangement for the Modulo Programme, OFA 2017-2018

Overture from The Magic Flute, W A Mozart. An arrangement for chamber orchestra, for the Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia Summer School 2017.

Fanfare for the Common Man and three ballet movements by Aaron Copland (Open Prairie,  Hoedown, Simple Gifts). An orchestral arrangement of 4 pieces of Copland, arranged for National Orchestra for All (NOFA), an inclusive 100-piece youth orchestra. This arrangement was approved by the Copland Foundation and was performed in Leeds Arena as part of the NOFA Summer Course 2017.

Spoitoresa An orchestration of the arrangement by Mahala Rai Banda of a Balkan folk tune, for NOFA.

Rhythm of Life Orchestral arrangement of the vocal work by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields, for NOFA.

Tunisian Arabic Music. A series of Tunisian Arabic melodies arranged for solo violin, guitar and darbukkah, Masters Performance. (2001)

Compositions 

How to fail at being perfect: the musical  A 75 minute brand new musical composed and Music directed by Emma with writer and director Nele Van Den Broeck. This musical was a Young Lyric Production and received three performances in the Lyric Studio, August 2017 and a performance of 60 minute version at the Latitude Festival 2018. The musical is for a cast of 20 and a band of 6 players. This original version is for flute, violin, melodeon, trombone, tuba, tuned and untuned percussion and keys. A unique band!

The Rain A new composition for a mixed instrumental ensemble of melody instruments.

Sidrocks A cycle of 7 songs written for voices and mixed instrumental ensemble including strummed chords and melodic descant lines. (2013 – 2015)