Meet the Team

Kirsty Devaney – Founder (she/her)

Role at YCP? I set YCP up when I left the Conservatoire in 2013. I wanted to create a place that young music creators could come to experiment and explore new ideas of any musical genre, in an environment that was supportive and welcoming.

How did you get into composing? I started arranging music for local music groups and friends before composing my own. This lead onto composing my own music during GCSE and A-Level composing.

What do you enjoy composing? A lot of my composing work involves composing with and for specific people, including young and non-professional ensembles. I love the interaction with performers and creating music specifically for them. I enjoy creating unique soundworlds through experimenting with timbre and texture, as well as including aspects of freedom and improvisation in my music.

Joe Cutler – Head of Composition at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (he/him)

Role at YCP? Joe visits each a year to talk to the students about studying composition at Higher Education and what to expect in a composition interview and studying at a music Conservatoire. 

How did you get into composing? Initially I just distracted myself with doodling in the violin and piano when  I should have been practising, and that developed into composing actual piece. Then at University I really began to take it seriously.

What do you love about composing? I love the moment when a piece you’ve been struggling with, suddenly clicks into place!

Mentors

Yimeng (she/her)

What do you love about composing? Composing allows me to tell stories, convey feelings and express emotions that words cannot. What excites me most is the compositional process itself – starting with a simple idea or theme and then building it into a complete piece. Also, because I can use a variety of DAWs (e.g. Logic/Garage Band) and have many music production skills, I can be more creative with my compositions through technology, exploring more possibilities for music.

What do you find challenging about composing? One of the things I find challenging in composing is how to approach the ending of a piece. Sometimes I hesitate at the stage where the piece has a little bit left to finish perfectly, and I always feel that something could be tweaked or improved. Learning to give myself and the work some time to settle is a challenge. After a while, when new ideas emerge, they may surprise the work in unexpected ways.

How would you describe your composing style/influences? I can compose in various styles, but they are all very much my individualistic character, and I am committed to incorporating elements and concepts of traditional Chinese music/instruments into my compositions. I like to use extended chords and combine them to form harmonic progressions in my compositions, and I also like to experiment with different instruments and sounds from life, giving them different textures and timbres to make special pieces of music.

Juliana (she/her)

What has been your most memorable musical/composing experience? The BBC Singers recording my piece at Maida Vale Studios. They were extremely professional and meticulous. The dedication to my music and to their craft was inspiring to witness.

What do you love about composing? The endless possibilities – all the things you can do, the things that could be changed or could stay the same. The ideas that get completed and the ideas that aren’t but could be revisited at a later point. The rewarding feeling of listening back to something you’ve worked really hard on. The way your music can change with you, depending on how life is going and what’s inspiring you to compose.

How did  you  get into composing? I was initially trying to become a classical pianist, but I was always drawn to the thought of creating music, and the process of creating music rather than interpreting what’s already been written and so I decided to try and write a piece – it was for solo violin. From there I discovered how enigmatic and creative the process of composition is. I realised I much preferred it to repetitive and tiring sessions of piano practice!

What are you composing at the moment? I’m currently working on a 6 minute piece for a large ensemble (an alternative orchestra): winds, brass, percussion and piano. There will be a dance like, Samba feel to the music and then in contrast, some mellow and atmospheric sections where the piano will feature as a soloist.

Fynn (He/him) 

How did you get into composing? I started composing when I was about 14, at first I was just putting sounds together in interesting ways, but then I found it so interesting I taught myself music theory from charity shop books and whatever I could find online! I managed to fix an old keyboard I got for free and taught myself how to play, at some point I got noticed in school for it and did GCSE music in a year. Somehow I ended up applying to study composition at Chetham’s School of Music and got in!! Since then I’ve composed for all sorts of ensembles, and learnt so much.

What do you love about composing? I love the freedom of expression, the connection with musicians and audiences, the feeling of being really invested in writing something, the constant learning involved, the details and the form. I love every step of the process from first idea to making parts neat! (Although I’m not such a fan when Musescore breaks because you’ve got too many parts!!)

What do you find challenging about composing? I find one of the challenges with composing to be finding the right idea, and not having too many in one piece! There are always many challenges when composing, even down to finding the people to play it, but these challenges are what makes it such an engaging and learning process. I love it!

Anna (she/her)

How did you get into composing? Christmas carols! My local choral society would run an annual competiton, and that’s how I got started. I was great to hear my work performed by a real choir in those early stages of my development.

What are you composing at the moment? This year, I’m exploring ideas around lines and stories in my portfolio. I’ve enjoyed researching medieval French songs and modern nature-based artists, but I’ve particularly had a lot of fun reading about Henry Winstanley, the man who built the world’s first offshore lighthouse. I wrote a piece for flute, cello, and piano about some of his lost works this autumn.

What do you love about composing? Strangely enough, I love working with other people. I especially love collaborating cross-disciplines. Getting to work with other professionals and learn with them is the most rewarding part of composition for me.

Kai (He/him)

How did you get into composing? I fell in love with composition when writing a jazz song for GCSE. Before that, I’d never considered the possibility of writing music myself. I was primarily a classical pianist – initially writing songs for solo piano or guitar – but quickly started exploring different instruments like the bass guitar and saxophone. Seeing my growing enthusiasm, my A-Level teacher advised me to apply for a composition degree at RBC – I have been studying here for 6 years now!

What has been your most memorable musical/composing experience? Composers can often feel unsatisfied with their work. However, in my 2nd year at university, I wrote a 1-minute classical guitar piece. The composition process felt unnaturally easy, and the performer worked so hard to perfect it. This was the first time I felt 100% happy with a composition – a very rare experience. Listening to it still makes me smile.

What do you find most challenging about composing?  Writer’s block is by far the most frustrating aspect of my composing life. Weeks can go by, and nothing will show up. This was very demoralising at first, leading me to question my own abilities. But the joy when an idea finally pops into your head makes it all worthwhile, and never fails to rekindle my passion for composing.

Musicians (more info soon!)

Casper – Bassoon (he/him) “Hi, I’m Casper! I am a bassoonist in my second year at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. I enjoy playing a variety of pieces/genres and getting to try new things within my playing. I also enjoy composing and being mainly inspired by film music. I participated in YCP for 2 years, as well as doing a YCP online course during COVID. I look forward to playing some of your compositions during your time at YCP!”

Noah – Cornet (he/him) “Hi, my name is Noah and I am a second year studying cornet at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire from Suffolk. Having taken two years out, not only did I work for a youth music service (that I had played in myself for the longest of time), I have also had a chance to play a variety of different pieces and styles from classical symphonies to contemporary brass band test pieces. I’m most looking forward to learning which mute is YCP’s favourite!”

Houyi – Piano

Rosie – Violin

Saxophone Quartet

Past Guest Composers/Artists