Music from a ceilidh dance project from 1992 coordinated by Ken Patterson featuring young musicians from 9 - 17 years from Newcastle. They recorded the music at Off Beats Music Studio with Ken Patterson and Graham Raine. Dancers Ednie Wilson, Eddie Upton and the Cass's had worked in a dozen or so Newcastle  primary schools inventing new dances. Youngsters also provided the music to dance to and recorded eight tracks as a companion to the book published for other schools to use. These included others who went on to make music their profession e.g. Julian Sutton features on melodeon playing when he was in his early teenage. Lorraine O'Neill plays flute and her brother Rob (BBC Symphony Orchestra) joins as trombonist on other tracks.

Tunesmiths is a collective of composers who every couple of months write a piece of music in response to challenge. December: TRAIN THEME,. September: a piece about a memorable time in your life. August: The NE England: its past and future. June: A special place. April: Sycamore. February: Detective ThemeNovember: Green. Sept.  Ghostly Themes. July: LANDSCAPE May: PARTY CITY.
March: Ancient Elements.
Jan: take a known theme and arrange in in a new way.
New Challenge for October / November a piece inspired by an artwork.  August / September '23: compose a piece based upon a descending bassline.  
Summer Challenge:a piece inspired something in the news.
April / May Challenge: a cover version with a new arrangement.
Previous challenges this year:  Hazy days of Summer, New Orleans, Jubilee Music, 'Furniture Music' as inspired by Erik Satie. Ambient background music.
December 21, challenge: a composition or arrangement conveying a mood, emotional state.
Autumn challenge '21: a hora using a Klezmer scale, Winter: a piece inspired by a book.
May June: an arrangement in a particular style of another composer or genre.
Challenge for Jan/Feb Carnival, March/ April American presidents.

October - November : Autumn Leaves
July - Septembber A Sea Composition
April- June Time passing
Task for Feb / March: composition about the animal world.
January: an ICY composition.
Nov / Dec: A Latin tune. Task for September / October:  Music with a poem as a startling point.
June July 2019 A Cajun inspired piece
April May 2019 A composition about myths and legends.
February March 2019 A song with chord structure I V V I. November / December 2018: a piece in 7/8.
Task for October: music to chill to.
Task for August / September: Write a piece of music influenced by someone else - ideally a friend, colleague or family member.  The influence could be a saying that that person always uses or a snatch of a melody they always hum. June July 2018 The theme of travel: a journey, trip, jaunt, ride, voyage, flight, walk, stroll, train journey, etc,
April May 2018 An piece using slowly changing ostinato. 
March 2018, a percussion-led piece.
Present composing task: a piece with a sense of place. November: Telephone hold music, or its impact on the listener.
Sept /October: 'A composition based upon a single chord or motif'' ....... Listen to 'Tunesmiths' who set each other composing tasks throughout the year and share the results of their work here……. any one can take up the challenge…. let us know if you want to post a composition

2017 August: 'Dementia'
2017 June: 'Something in the news'
2017 March: a composition with an irregular time signature.
2017 Jan: write a  piece inspired by the wind. 
2016 Nov Winter: Fandango
2016 Oct Challenge:Machine Music
2016 Sept Challenge: Classical Cheese
2016 Aug Challenge: Night Music
2016 July Challenge: a Tarantella
2016 June Challenge: a Reggae
2016 May Challenge: a blues
2016 March Challenge. Write in the style of your music hero
2016 January Challenge: Write in the form of 'La Folía' 
2015 December Challenge: Christmas single
2015 November Space Music
2015 September Challenge: a Waltz
2015 Summer Challenge: 'Minimalist Music'
2015 June challenge: 'Dance Music'
2015 April challenge: a piece with Indian feel
2015 February Composing Challenge A piece about water.
2014 Nov. Composing Challenge:  a piece of music that consists of only percussion and the human voice

I grew up in Newcastle and began playing the recorder at primary school along with everyone else. However unlike everyone else I never grew out of it.  I studied for a music degree at King’s College London in 2001, whilst studying recorder at the Royal Academy of Music and later at the Royal College of Music. Whilst in London I put on and performed in various concerts, including performing for a Yoko Ono art installation in St Paul’s Cathedral. 

I moved to Gateshead in 2008 and am now in the process of setting up a business called Flautino, the focus of which is to change the commonly held perception of the recorder being an instrument purely for primary school children, and to show what beautiful music it is capable of producing. 

Sarah Llewellyn is a composer and sound artist working across the arts in the UK and internationally. She creates original music, song and soundscapes for the stage, screen, radio, circus and the concert hall.

She composes for, and records with, some exceptionally gifted and specialist musicians. Her work often weaves in subtle layers of electronics and experimental sound design. She has composed for orchestras, chamber groups, choirs, circus bands, vocalists and actor musicians. She also creates soundscapes, electro-acoustic work and spoken word pieces.

Originally from Liverpool she went to study composition in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. A combination of her classical training, running away with a circus and over 20 years of composing for an array of productions all contribute to Sarah’s diverse experience and influences.

She is represented by Kate Weston, Fillingham Weston Associates.

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