What is music patron
Music Patron brings together the traditional concept of patronage with the impact of grassroots collective giving
So much of the great music of the past was sponsored by patronage, with wealthy patrons providing financial support for composers who were able to devote themselves to composing innovative works that shaped our cultural landscape and are appreciated by people around the world to this day.
Music Patron reimagines this idea for the 21st century by making collective giving accessible to anyone who wants to support the creation and availability of exciting new music, with a range of options for one-off or regular monthly donations.
Join a game-changing community
Creating new music that shapes our culture requires risk-taking – and the ability to spark curiosity and appreciation amongst wider audiences.
Not all composers have the creative freedom and time for this. With Music Patron, you can change that.
Join a community of music lovers helping to bring new music to life.
Enjoy the feeling of making music happen.
Hear it from our honorary patrons
“I believe in supporting the music of tomorrow. Music Patron is a new and important way to do this. It gives ordinary people the chance to directly support a composer and help bring new music to life.”
Sir Simon Rattle OM CBE
Conductor
It’s remarkable to witness a composer’s craft unfold - from initial inspiration, evolving through their unique creative process, and ultimately being appreciated in performances and recordings."
Richard Smith
Patron
Choose how
to support
You can support the work of an individual composer, or support Music Patron's overall vision.
Donate
You can give monthly or one-off.
Connect
Join a community of music lovers. Get a unique window into a composer’s world. Experience the feeling of making new music happen.
The pandemic, the unstable economy, and cuts in public funding have led to less music being produced and fewer opportunities for composers to take risks and innovate.
You can have a game-changing impact on the creation of new music.
Make a meaningful connection with composers, get an insider’s view of their creative process and receive exclusive content.
Our solution to a global problem
of composers have considered abandoning their career during the pandemic.
monthly Spotify streams are required for an artist to make minimum wage.
of composers earn less than £10,000 per year from composition work.
* Sources: Ivors Academy and The Trichordist.
Featured composer
Alice Beckwith
Alice Beckwith is a versatile composer of concert music, working on commission throughout the UK. Her lyrical melodic sound is firmly rooted in the British Isles – with an emphasis above all upon story-telling.
Rapidly emerging as a contemporary composer, Alice was commissioned by the 2024 St Endellion Easter Festival, where her new setting of Paul Fiddes’ The Phoenix – for tenor and harp – was premiered by Mark Padmore and Alis Huws. A new song-cycle commissioned by the 2024 AndPiano Music Festival in Huddersfield marked a welcome return to West Yorkshire – setting texts by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage.
“The creative process never stops. Whether consciously or subconsciously, you tune in (literally) to everything around you – space, colour, sound, energy, words… all seemingly unrelated. My job as a composer is to sift through to find the gem of an idea, often a time-consuming process! But just sometimes, suddenly when least expected, the outline of a sketch effortlessly appears..”
Patrons are invited to join Alice “behind-the-scenes” through regular updates, engaging with her creative process as she collaborates with ensembles and artists on a variety of commissions.
Patrons can expect curated playlists, sneak previews of new works, and advance notice of future projects; as well as opportunities to connect digitally through live streaming, and, most importantly, over a cup of tea when in Manchester.
- Listen: Nightingale | Alice Beckwith
