Daniel Fardon

Composer

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

It was an absolute pleasure this weekend to conduct the @Orchestra_Swan for 3(!) performances of my new orchestral score for ‘Symphony of Us’ in the magnificent @CovCathedral for @Coventry2021 — a 2 hour theatrical symphony telling the story of the lives of 6 people of the city!

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

Section B*

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@V_Apunkt Congratulations!! Amazing :) x

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@DanielLChappell @joanna_mward Yup, the majority of our 6th form students (which is the majority of the school) have come from schools that do not offer A Level music. Most of those students are from typical backgrounds, and many are from quite poor ones, including a number of Ukrainian refugees.

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward But anybody can apply to Purcell irrespective of background, financial or otherwise. We have students whose parents would not be able to afford private lessons with you, for example. The 3 hours a week of 1-to-1 is a fraction… we spend more per student than we receive.

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward Your CV states that you privately teach music, composition, and theory. What’s the difference? You teach students whose parents can pay for your services as a private teacher. Or at Taunton Centre for YM/Stringmoves Cambridge, etc.?

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward Yes, through the government. How else do you pay the staff? It’s just the same as how a state school pays its staff, through government funding. Those who pay fees can afford to, that’s how means testing works…

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward If you came to the school and met the students and their diverse backgrounds, you would soon see you are quite misinformed on the place, I’m afraid — it’s really not what you think it is. It is fundamentally different to a typical independent school.

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward Why does it? You are (again) making assumptions about the school’s finances. We are funded by the government’s music and dance scheme.

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward The ad is very open, it doesn’t specify any specific expectations. And, even so, £139 p/d is above the starting salary for an unqual teacher in London Fringe. And this role is not the same, you are not a teacher. You are free to use the time how it suits you.

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward Also btw, the school is means tested. E.g on a household income of £40k, the *yearly* fee is £2,553, which includes 3 hours of 1-to-1 instrumental/composition teaching per week. We have students who do not pay anything at all, and fees are not a barrier to entry whatsoever.

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward Composers can arrive and leave whenever they wish — there is no onus to do anything like what would be expected for a e.g. 5 hour workshop. I believe the £5k rate for 36 days of flexible work that is designed by the composer to be entirely fair.

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward It might be worth enquiring with the employer/finding out more information before posing your assumptions publicly about the nature of a post you don’t really know about. The MU ‘Workshop Leading’ rate is not at all relevant to this post 🧵

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward Composers can arrive and leave whenever they wish — there is no onus to do anything like what would be expected for a e.g. 5 hour workshop. I believe the £5k rate for 36 days of flexible work that is designed by the composer to be entirely fair.

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@joanna_mward For example, the composer can use the time as they wish, e.g. using the school’s facilities (e.g recording studio/concert hall) to compose all day… or doing 2-3 hours of 1-to-1 teaching (working out at a rate of £46 per hour; way above MU rates) …

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

🎶 Applications are open for our next ‘Junior Composer in Association’ at @PurcellSchool. Working alongside the Head of Composition @AlisoninNorfolk and myself, you will spend a very exciting year working with our first study composers! 🎶

https://t.co/o58zqR3ip8

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@G_E_Mason @PurcellSchool @AlisoninNorfolk It was so wonderful to have you, Grace. The students absolutely loved it! 🎶

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

Excited to be at @StJohnsSmithSq rehearsing for this evening. If you are around, come see my new orchestral piece ‘August Tune’ for the @PurcellSchool Symphony Orchestra! Conducted by Paul Mann, 19:30pm.

https://t.co/yTbBIzSKld

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

@JamesJoshuaOtto @Duracell @waketown 👏

[Daniel Fardon @danielfardon]

This was a lot of fun and super informative and interactive, we can’t wait to have you back! @PurcellSchool @AlisoninNorfolk