Artistic Director
Paul Max Edlin is an experienced Artistic Director, combining a passion to present only the highest quality within a coherent and ambitious programming strategy, yet also employing an entrepreneurial zeal. During his tenure, the festivals he has artistically led have seen their audiences increase significantly, and, in turn, their income, both from the public and private purse. Furthermore, he has always ensured that the educational and outreach work done by these organisations has reached new levels of ambition, reaching and inspiring as many people as possible, be they younger or older.
Paul Max Edlin was appointed Artistic Director of Deal Festival of Music and the Arts in May 2014.
He was also Artistic Director from 2004 to 2010. During that time artists included: New Kent Opera, Aurora Orchestra, Orchestra of the Swan, City of London Sinfonia, Fine Arts Brass, His Majesties Sagbutts and Cornetts, Black Dyke Band, Dame Emma Kirkby, Sir Willard White, Cedric Tiberghien, John Williams, Steven Isserlis, John McCabe, RCM Students with leading professionals and amateur choirs performing Monteverdi Vespers, Sacconi Quartet, Sunandar Sunarya & Troupe: Wayang Golek, Germaine Greer, Stan Tracey, National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Great Britain, African Children’s Choir. In 2006, there was a celebration of the music of Mozart held at the private house, Bourne Park (by kind permission of Lady Juliet and Dr Christopher Tadgell) where Mozart stayed when in England. Many emerging composers were commissioned and many emerging artists had the opportunity to perform programmes of their choice.
Paul stood down from the Deal Festival in 2010 in order to fulfil his commitments to the ISM as their President Elect.
From 2007 to 2012 he was Artistic Director and Chair of the Artistic Group of Sounds New Contemporary Music Festival.
Festivals programmes in brief:
2008: Messiaen and his Legacy – focusing on the music of Messiaen’s students such as Boulez, Xenakis, Takemitsu, Stockhausen, etc. Artists included Ensemble Intercontemporain, London Sinfonietta, Rolf Hind, Tallin Ensemble.
2009: Polish Connections (guest composer: Krzystof Penderecki) included a rare performance in Canterbury Cathedral with Penderecki himself conducting his monumental St. Luke Passion with the Warsaw Boys Choir, the Camerata Silesian, the Polish Radio Choir Katowice and the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, recorded for broadcast by EBU.
2010: Symbolism and Numerology – The number Seven was the focus, focusing on works that relate to this number including Pierrot Lunaire, Die Seiben Tagen, etc. Artists included: from Croatia: Cantus Ansambl; from Germany: Ensemble Modern [conducted by Ilan Volkov], from France: Ensemble Intercontemporain; from UK: CBSO Chamber Players, Aurora Orchestra [directed by Nick Collon] and Ronnie Scott’s Big Band.
2011: Baltic + – focusing on the music of the Baltic region. Guest composer: Arvo Pärt (also present at the UK premiere of his most recent large scale work Adam’s Lament in Canterbury Cathedral, performed by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge with Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Stephen Cleobury). Countries represented: Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark. Artists included: Århus Sinfonietta, Altera Veritas, London Sinfonietta, Amsterdam Cello Octet, Olga Jegunova.
2012: Theme GB – focusing on the wealth of new British music from across the regions. Guest composers: Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Sir John Tavener, with over 100 living composer represented, including the world premiere of The Fury’s Curses by John Croft, performed at Turner Contemporary. Artists included: London Sinfonietta, Kings Singers, BBC Big Band, Julian Joseph Trio, Grimethorpe Colliery Band, Arditti Quartet, etc.
Aligned with Sounds New has been extensive outreach and educational work and Sounds New Poets (in association with the English Department from the University of Kent).
Many concerts were recorded for broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and long-term relationships were established with embassies.
From 2010 to 2013 he was Director of the International Composer Pyramid.
Paul directed the development and implementation as well as artistic direction of this major international initiative for outstanding young composers. The project was supported by INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeën – European Union.
…in 2010…
Composers from France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom were invited to submit works for selection to participate. The winners created new works for the ICP Ensemble (specially created Anglo/French Ensemble) and were guided throughout the process by leading and influential composition professors and tutors. The final works were performed in public concerts and the winners were chosen by an international jury.
In 2010, circa 150 scores submitted.
…in 2011…
The competition extended its boundary to Europe, where composers were guided by experienced mentors and involved in a series of workshops/talks given by industry professionals (including representatives from the worlds of performance, composition, publishing and commissioning), ultimately producing twelve works of a remarkable standard.
In 2011 circa 400 scores submitted.
…in 2012…
Applicants were invited from around the world to submit entries for an international call for scores. Those selected had the opportunity to write a work for performance by the ICP Ensemble, with the eventual winner having their work published by the House of Edition Peters.
In 2012 circa 800 scores submitted.
For more specific information regarding this aspect of work, please contact Paul Max Edlin directly.
The following festival programmes are available on request in PDF format:
Deal Festival 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010
Sounds New 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012
Links:
Deal Festival of Music and the Arts (2003 – 2010)
www.dealfestival.co.uk
Sounds New Contemporary Music Festival (2007 – 2013)
www.soundsnew.org.uk
International Composer Pyramid (2008 – 2013)
www.internationalcomposerpyramid.org