BAN BAM 2020 Commission | Improvised Music Company

Ban Bam

Read about the winners of the 2020/21 Commission & Development Award HERE.
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BAN BAM Commission & Development Award 2020/2021
Supporting women in jazz and creative improvised music

BAN BAM Commission & Development Award 2020/2021 is a new creative commissioning and career development opportunity open to Irish-born or resident female composers on the island of Ireland (North and South) presented by Improvised Music Company (IMC) and Moving on Music (MOM).

Following IMC’s ‘BAN BAM’ activity in 2017/18 promoting women in jazz and improvised music, combined with MOM’s extensive experience with their emerging artists programme, IMC and MOM are pleased to come together with a commission and development opportunity for female and gender-minority artists across the island of Ireland for 2020/2021.

Music Commission

This commission was open to female and gender-minority music makers who compose broadly in the genre of jazz, and/or creative improvised music. The composers each receive a €2,500 commission fee to compose for duo, trio or quartet.

Creative & Career Development
The composition period will be followed by 12 months of bespoke creative and career development support and consultation from IMC, MOM and selected industry professionals during 2021. The award includes guaranteed performance bookings in Belfast and Dublin during 2021 (when feasible in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions).

Applications were assessed by a panel of carefully selected music industry professionals. The Panel consists of composer/ broadcaster and former director of Galway Jazz Festival Ellen Cranitch, music programmer and talent development manager with Serious UK Rob Farhat, musician, composer, producer and Chairperson of Jazz Promotion Network Kim Macari, saxophonist, composer and educator Trish Clowes, award-winning composer and conductor Brian Irvine, as well as Director of IMC Kenneth Killeen, and Moving on Music Creative Producer Paula McColl.

www.improvisedmusic.ie | www.movingonmusic.com

Judging Panel

Ellen Cranitch

Broadcaster, musician, and former Director of Galway Jazz Festival, Ellen Cranitch worked for many years as a flute player with the NSO, RTECO, Irish Chamber orchestra and countless chamber ensembles and has composed award winning scores for theatre, television, film and dance. Her late night radio programme, Vespertine, on RTELyricfm, is a trailblazer for eclectic, new and varied music programming.

Rob Farhat

Rob Farhat is a Talent Development and Programme Manager at Serious London, working with emerging artists in the jazz, contemporary and traditional music worlds, and has previously run projects including Ensemble Music, Web Summit and the Trinity Orchestra. Rob is from Ireland and of Armenian/Iranian descent.

Kim Macari

Originally from Fife, Scotland and now based in London, Kim Macari is a musician and composer immersed in the jazz and improvised music scene. As well as her performing and teaching work, she is a programmer at Vortex Jazz Club, Chairperson of Jazz Promotion Network and works with Arts Council England.

Trish Clowes

A BASCA British Composer Award winner and former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, Clowes has received critical acclaim for all of her album releases. Clowes works in a variety of settings, most recently premiering a saxophone concerto by Joe Cutler with the BBC Concert Orchestra.Recent commissions include writing for the London Sinfonietta, BBC Radio 3 and Onyx Brass.

Brian Irvine

Composer/conductor Brian Irvine was born in Belfast. His huge body of work includes operas, orchestral works, large-scale participatory work, films, multi-media installations, dance works as well as ensemble, solo, and chamber pieces. He has won two BSACA British Composers Awards as well as the Radio 3 Jazz Award for best new work.

Kenneth Killeen

Kenneth Killeen is the Artistic Director of Improvised Music Company. His current role as Artistic Director includes curating the IMC’s programming content, it's four festivals, as well as implementing IMC’s resource strategy and development. Kenneth has been professionally involved in the music industry since the mid 90’s, as a musician, teacher, promoter and producer.

Paula McColl

Paula McColl is a Creative Producer with Moving On Music, and has been involved with the organisation in various roles since 2012, initially as a volunteer. She studied Music, followed by a Masters in Cultural Management with Ulster University. She has a varied musical interest, and is a traditional fiddle player and tutor. Her work with Moving On Music involves programming, overseeing artist development, outreach and managing their annual touring programme.