The project was intended to create an efficient structure to share skills and knowledge in the creation, composition and presentation of new music opportunities in England and France; to enable better networks across the channel; to set up a basis for long term collaboration between the organisations and individuals involved; and to raise the profile of new music, its teaching and composition, among the public and in schools.
This is a unique project, which aimed to underpin enterprise and innovation in the way that young composers could work with organisations and with their peers. The interest of this cross-border project was to allow English and French composers to benefit from education, and the experience of eminent composers from both regions, and to establish a programme of master classes, concerts and debates (recognised on both sides of the channel as something shared) in which the public can take part, with the creativity of the programme being interpreted and articulated by orchestras consisting of musicians from both sides of the channel. It was to enable young composers not only to create new networks, but to create a new approach to musical creativity, together, and result in a synergy which enables better circulation of works and artists, creating a market in musical creativity without frontiers.

The success of Mozart Now in 2006 was the inspiration for the creation of the International Composers' Pyramid, innovative Trans-Manche collaboration between Sounds New Contemporary Music Festival in Canterbury and the wind ensemble Coups de Vent from Pas de Calais. Both organisations are leading exponents of contemporary music in their respective countries. The aim of the project was to give young composers the opportunity to work with leading professional composers, conductors, publishers and ensembles from France and the UK. Projects took place over a three year period in both Canterbury, Dunkirk and Boulogne and works by 32 composers were performed by Coup de Vents and the internationally renowned ensemble the London Sinfonietta. The prestige of the project is such that the international publisher Edition Peters has published the score of the winner participant, Dimitris Economou. The project attracted significant media coverage from both sides of the Channel.
Over the course of the three years a number of activities took place. In each year of the project, scores were sought from composers. In the first year scores came from conservatoires in the UK and Pas de Calais. In the second year they came from all over Europe and the third year worldwide. In each year a panel of leading professional composers from France and the UK selected 12 composers to be part of the project. Over the three years, five study weeks took place in which the selected composers attended talks, master classes and workshops as well as regular mentoring sessions where they worked with professional composers and conductors. At the end of each project there was a concert of premieres in both countries from which the top two composers were selected to take part in the next year's course. The winning composition from each year was performed in the Sounds New Festival and two were broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

During the project the following activities took place: 34 young composers had the opportunity to work with prestigious contemporary music mentors including instrumentalists, composers, conductors and academics. They did this in 30 workshops held in England and France. Composers were given direct contact with a mentor who followed their progress through to final performance. Six performances took place during which all 34 composers had a work performed. Three performances took place in England and three in France. 12 musicians took part in each concert and 450 people heard the new works. In addition, performances also took place in the following Sounds New Festivals: 2011, the London Sinfonietta performed Nicholas Tzortzis's piece Fictif; 2012 they performed Edmund Finnis's piece Frame/Refrain and Benjamin Oliver's piece Momentum; 2012 the Arditti Quartet performed Victor Ibarra's Crossing Lines which was also broadcast on BBC Radio 3 to an estimated audience of 750,000.
Throughout the project, the composers received feedback which improved their creative and technical understanding of composition and contemporary music in general. Whilst the feedback was not recorded in writing, the mentors held regular sessions with each composer throughout the three year project. This took the form of workshops, meetings, phone calls, emails and texts. Michelle Castelletti, the project leader, also gave regular advice to the composers. This took the form of advice on instrumentation and the use of electronics. Rehearsals for the premieres of the new works took place over a week for each concert. This enabled the composers to have plenty of time to discuss their music with the performers and conductors and make adjustments to their score as well as to the style of performance. It is unusual for a composer to have this much time allocated to mentors and rehearsal and there is no doubt that this increased their creative and technical understanding considerably.

This project reached four types of beneficiary. Firstly, Sounds New and Coups de Vents benefited from the experience of cultural exchange and the opportunity to learn more about young composers working in the world today. Secondly, school children benefited from workshops and performances by leading exponents of contemporary music. Thirdly, the composers benefited from mentoring, hearing their works performed by leading ensembles and interaction with publishers, promoters and instrumentalists. Fourthly, the artists were introduced to the work of young composers and given the opportunity to perform their music.

The effect on Sounds New has been a greater awareness of Sounds New as an organisation and contemporary music in general. Sounds New won the prestigious Desination Canterbury award from Canterbury City Council in 2012. Sounds New's concerts have been broadcast nationally and internationally as were some of the ICP works. Locally, there has been an increase in interest in experimental music and in a weekly series of contemporary music has now been established in the city. The presence of both French and British nationals in the ICP ensemble has introduce musicians from both sides of the channel to each other and some have continued to work together. In terms audiences, one example of the impact of the project is that on 9 March 2013, the 1,500-strong audience of Coups de Vents in “Nouveau Siècle” voted for a new work as their favourite piece.

The essential added value of a cross-border project is each one’s contribution to the other through different cultures, different and complementary educational operating modes, which call for thorough investigations into our own practices, into the way we teach or perform. For the French people, whose culture is more individualistic, a « collective » culture is most rewarding. For the UK, the total difference in rehearsal practice ethos was one in which a lot was learnt. The best thing was to see cross-culture integration in Art form. In practical terms, as both areas are close, discussions and visits were easier to plan, and it was more convenient to arrange for concerts at consecutive dates. The final common workshop could be made thanks to such proximity.

Yes, a network of Contemporary Art organisations has been created and the various parties met on three occasions upon the initiative of the Department of Cultural Development and International Relations of Dunkirk. A project is being materialised, involving the Choirs of the CCU and CMAD in Dunkirk. Concerts are planned in Kent and Cote d’Opale in November 2013. The orchestra will be made up of British and French musicians. The orchestra will be conducted by a French conductor and British conductor. We have also been approached by other organisations wanting to create networks and European collaborations. We are looking into these for 2015.

Participation in this project provides each stakeholder with the opportunity of becoming a creator building a newly emerging shared culture of progress, of becoming a cultural driving force in his/her area, of transmitting this experience and of making collective artistic practice more accessible for a better « living-together » approach and a lets promote, share and live the music and art of our time across all borders and all cultures.

It is required to anticipate calls for proposals more, to determine a D1 dead-line for registrations and to determine a dead-line - d1 + 60 days - for the submission of works. So, the organisation of juries (number of members, how long the selection will last, venue…) will be simplified and adjusted to reality.

Part of the project will lead to a long-term action, in particular in Dunkirk, as this approach has been incorporated into the courses and objectives of the CMAD (artist-in-residence programme, regular creations), on a partnership basis with the other cultural entities in the area. In Canterbury, a relationship with Canterbury Christ Church University has been developed and will continue - in which all schools in Kent will be benefitting from the SN/CCCU Road show taken to each school to promote, teach and educate children, youths as well as their teachers on contemporary music. We are aiming to reach at least 20 schools a year. The publication of the final winner will mean that international awareness is sustained. The website will continue to give longevity.

In France, an awareness-raising process has emerged in networks constituted of music schools and Conservatoires along the coast, in coordination with the « Pole Supérieur de Formation de Lille », and Coups de Vents, which selects junior high schools in each area, and with its long-term International Composition Contest.

The network is consolidated with such media-friendly intermediates as expert composers (jury members and coaches) who took part in the project and helped make it a success. These world-renowned key figures actually support ICP and want this project to continue by lending their support. They will transfer all relevant information for ICP to continue as expected to their respective, extremely dense networks worldwide. Direct or related partners (CCU, CMAD…) will pursue their collaborative work and exchanges at another level depending on financial resources which they can dedicate to the continuation of such a project (ICP). Sounds New and Coups de Vents are seeking ways in which to develop the project and to create new paths for it.

Yes, external funds will be required for the 2014-2020 period to develop a long-term action as part of a cooperation programme.
The Kent/Nord-Pas de Calais cross-border area is a special geographic space in view of the legacy of an age-old culture related to wind music and wind orchestras.
Our ambition is to rely on this area as a world reference in terms of contemporary creation and music, including urban creation, as wind orchestras can perform outdoors quite easily.
Ensembles related to the Nord-Pas de Calais/Kent area will create together on both sides of the Channel cross-sectional contemporary works (hip-hop dance, street theatre, circus, visual art, performance in general and composition).