‘I feel honoured and very proud to be part of this community’

Said contemporary composer Rebecca Saunders when speaking to graduates after collecting her honorary award.  She received the award of Honorary Doctorate of the University for services to contemporary music.

ON the eve of the 2018 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, one of the world’s leading composers has been honoured by the town’s University.

Rebecca Saunders, whose works have won many prizes and been performed by distinguished soloist, orchestras and ensembles, received an Honorary Doctorate of the University of Huddersfield during one of the 17 graduation ceremonies taking place during the week.

After receiving her award, Ms Saunders told the audience – including many who had received music degrees – that Huddersfield was known all over the world because of its Contemporary Music Festival, and the University too had global renown.  “So many extraordinary graduates have gone on to pursue really exciting, creative careers,” she said.

“I have lived in Germany now for 20 years and when I come back to England, Huddersfield is often my first stop and I feel very honoured and very proud to be part of this community,” she added.

An oration for Rebecca Saunders was delivered by Aaron Cassidy, who is  Professor of Composition at the University.  “She is, without any doubt, one of the most original and distinctive voices in contemporary music composition of her generation,” he said, and outlined her career and achievements.

Contemporary music composition

Professor Cassidy noted that Ms Saunders has a long and significant connection to Huddersfield and to the University, having had 27 works performed at the Contemporary Music Festival, including nine world premieres.  Some of her works have also been featured on the Huddersfield Contemporary Record (HCR) CD label of the University’s Centre for Research in New Music, with an additional release coming in early 2019.

“Her music will again be featured at HCMF this year, with three works across two concerts by the German Ensemble Musikfabrik, including the Festival’s opening concert, which features the UK premiere of her new work Yes,” said Professor Cassidy.

Describing her compositions, he said: “Rebecca Saunders makes music that is physical, tangible, tactile, visceral, and solid.  The sounds she works with have a palpable sense of shape, mass, density, and even colour—these are sounds that are not ideas but things.”