OPUS 1
For aspiring composers, we offer the chance to work with our musicians and mentors to develop your skills as a music creator.
Each year we select eight Opus 1 composers, who receive the opportunity to write for a group of Britten Sinfonia musicians and to take part in workshops and a recording day, receiving advice and feedback from both our musicians and the Opus 1 Programme Directors, Raymond Yiu and Cheryl Frances-Hoad.
The programme is open to people of all ages who are based in the UK and interested in composing music for our players. It is designed to be a “first step on the ladder” for people who have not taken part in similar schemes before.
Applications for our 2024 Opus 1 are now open, with a deadline of 17th May 5pm.
“I feel I have learnt such a great deal from this experience, not just about composition, but about how to carry myself as a musician and how to work collaboratively with others.”
Discover more
Discover more
Our previous Opus 1 composers
Learn more about the composers selected for 2023's Opus 1 programme.
Click on the photos below to get a quick insight into each composer.
“Opus 1 has made me feel more confident about the music that I write, helping me to rediscover a love for composing by working with a really high calibre of ensemble. There was a collaborative richness that emerged from working with the same people over an extended period of time (not just the musicians, but also the wider organisation in general), and the culmination of the scheme in a high-quality concert/recording offered additional meaning and motivation to the process.”
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