Having completed the Sound and Music Summer School at the Purcell School I can honestly say that it was one of the best weeks of my life. In that week I grew so much as a composer, and it will be invaluable to me in the future when I pursue my career in music.

The place: The Purcell School proved to be a fantastic venue for this course. The accommodation was comfortable and intimate, and was equipped with stunning facilities which I could only ever dream of. Seriously, I couldn’t even count the number of grand pianos! This provided a fantastic working environment to allow our creativity to flourish, but also a home for me and my peers throughout the week. I also feel I should comment on the food, which was great – my compliments to the Chef!

The people: Over the week, I met some amazing people. I loved every second I spent with my group, and I’m sure some of them I will remain friends with for life. I found it to be hugely valuable to spend time with like-minded young musicians, and discovered that my initial concerns about meeting new people were completely unnecessary. Also, the tutors, particularly Alison Cox, and the performers were absolutely incredible. It was so useful having such talented and experienced people around, and I know I will treasure that experience for my whole life.

The music: I heard 71 pieces of brand new, completely original music in the space of 24 hours, and each one blew me away. They all sounded like professional pieces, and that I find absolutely incredible, considering we had as long to compose them as we did to perform them. On a more personal note, I was thrilled with my final composition. It is completely different from anything that I had ever written before and had completely pushed me out of my comfort zone, but this is exactly what I had wanted. I feel I learned so many new things while on the course which will help me strive to new levels in my musical development. Thank you Sound and Music!