Opus 1: Getting to know… Pia Rose Scattergood
Meet Pia Rose Scattergood, who is currently studying for a Masters in Composition at The Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
What are you looking forward to about being part of Opus 1?
Meeting lots of brilliant people and also having an excuse to visit Cambridge, one of my favourite cities in the world.
Who has been your biggest musical influence so far?
Caroline Shaw. I think she’s amazing.
What sort of music do you like to write?
I’m drawn to materials that loop over and over again and exploring the potentials of open scores / graphic notation via conceptual pieces. I’m also really interested in theory surrounding embodied knowledge and like to invite performers to improvise using the materials I offer to them in my pieces.
What is your favourite instrument to compose for?
I honestly don’t think I have a favourite, but I recently wrote a collection of text scores for melodica involving flames, water, and a balloon which was really fun.
Why do you think creating new music is important?
Music making brings people together and I think we are all craving that right now! The new music scene at the moment also boasts a number of really inspiring creatives and collectives who are helping to build a more equitable, diverse artistic landscape post-COVID and so it’s a really exciting time to be a composer.
Pia Rose Scattergood
If you could write a brand new piece for anyone in the world, who would you choose?
Roomful of Teeth.
What is the hardest thing about being a composer?
Finding a place to start!
What 3 pieces of music would you have to have on your desert island?
This was tricky! Some of my favourites right now are:
Cranes in the Sky (Solange)
Sextet for Winds & Piano (Poulenc)
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac)
What is the best snack?
Veggie sushi.
Find out more about Pia’s work here: www.piarosescattergood.com/
