New Music Brighton was founded in 1994 by two Brighton based composers, Paul Gregory and Peter Copley. The original object was simply to enable composers to work together as a form of co-operative to put on concerts of their own works. This remains the principal activity but in addition NMB now regularly provides composition workshops, open to the public as well as its own members, and has developed links with local schools. Performers are drawn largely from professional musicians living in Sussex, including as some of our own members, although we have occasionally engaged others, such as the flute and piano duo Christopher Hyde-Smith and Jane Dodd, the Kingfisher String Quartet, the Vega Wind Quintet and, most recently, members of the London Sinfonietta.
The typical New Music Brighton programme will consist mainly of first performances of new works although the group has a policy of also including repeat performances and very occasionally including works by other contemporary composers. New Music Brighton has established itself as a significant force in new music in the Sussex area, with close working relationships with a number of other organisations, including Brighton & Hove Music and Performing Arts Service and the Brighton Early Music Festival.
We have a management committee consisting of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary. Communications and publicity are dealt with by a Publicity Officer, Mailing List Secretary and Newsletter Officer.
Meetings of the Committee are held four times a year and are open to all members, one of these meetings being the Annual General Meeting. In addition we meet informally from time to time where the topics for discussion are as wide as members want.
NMB is a member of the British Academy Regional Network of Composer Associations and a member of Brighton & Hove Arts Council.