Expression of Interest: Big Sing 2025: Zero Gravity Song Commission
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is looking to commission up to four new songs by a range of songwriters, for our 2025 Big Sing for primary schools.
The successful Songwriters will write and produce a song suitable for 7-11 year olds, creatively themed around the topic of space, as this year’s show is called ‘Zero Gravity’. The process will be supported by the Make Music: Schools team at The Glasshouse.
About Big Sing
A much-loved annual singing event in our Sage One hall, supported by The Kavli Trust and in partnership with Sing Up, Big Sing attracts schools from across the North of England. The schools learn a set of songs in school time, which are linked to the curriculum, and then they come along to The Glasshouse for an exciting and inspiring end of term show like no other.
This year’s Big Sing takes on the theme of space under the title ‘Zero Gravity’, a topic as vast as the Universe itself.
As well as singing the songs in the classroom, teachers have the chance to come along to a training session led by a professional vocalist to help them learn the songs and get advice on how to lead them with their classes. All materials needed for learning the songs are hosted online in the Sing Up Song Bank and Sing Up’s partner pages, where the commissions will be. Whether teachers are just starting to introduce song to the classroom or are seasoned singing leaders, there are many ways to take part. Big Sing’s flexibility means schools can learn whole songs or just the chorus, have fun, improve health, and with any luck, inspire a life-long love of music when they come to The Glasshouse to sing with 1000 other children in Sage One.
Big Sing package for schools includes
- Teacher Training: at The Glasshouse and online.
- Access to teaching materials: the digital Big Sing playlist is hosted on the Sing Up Song Bank.
- Performance celebration day: Singing in Sage One at The Glasshouse, presented by the Big Sing Musical Director and with a live band.
About the song
What kind of song are we after?
The Songwriters will produce an original song that meets the following requirements:
- Theme: Space, and topics educationally relevant around the subject, linked to KS2 curriculum. They can be topic/subject-specific, abstract, or it can demonstrate how all topics are linked. We are also interested in how musical elements link with Space (patterns and rhythm for example). As the show is ‘Zero Gravity’, we welcome songs whose subject matter is based in space itself.
- Originality: The song must be an original composition.
- Range: The melodic range should be suitable for children aged 7-11 years and should mainly stay within a middle C to C octave higher. It is advised to keep the majority of the tune to within the middle of that range so as not to tire young voices, but can also have an occasional note either side of C to C, if musically necessary. Optional harmony parts can step a few notes outside this range if required.
- Difficulty: The song needs to be catchy and easy for Key Stage 2 age children to learn, with plenty of stepwise melodic movement and plenty of space to breathe. We welcome optional simple harmony lines or counter melodies, but the song should stand on its own when sung in unison. Dynamics, if included, need to be simple but effective. To help with keeping together, the tempo should remain consistent for the singers (though a piano rit. in the intro/outro/between verses would be fine).
- Lyrics: The lyrics need to scan well and be appropriate for primary age children. We’d like to have the opportunity to suggest changes to the lyrics before the entire song is written and recorded (see deadlines below).
- Length: max approximately 3 minutes.
- Style: Any musical style but it must be able to be reproduced for a live performance by a standard 4-piece band who will arrange the piece appropriately for their instruments. Songs with an urban, dance, rap or RnB style would be advantageous.
What's needed?
To complete each commission, the Songwriter will need to provide the finalised versions of the following, by no later than Friday 21 February 2025;
- Lyrics in Microsoft Word format.
- Scored Vocal part in a non-stylised font, using Sibelius or Musescore. To include vocal melody/ies, lyrics, and basic piano accompaniment, or chord names.
- Recorded performance and backing tracks, produced to a high standard, with good quality vocals, provided as high quality MP3s.
- Tracks provided should include;
— Performance track – all vocal parts & accompaniment.
— Backing track – accompaniment only, plus, if you have harmonies – WITH harmonies and WITHOUT harmonies. - Rehearsal Tracks
— Main vocals up in mix
— Harmony 1 up in mix (if you have harmonies)
— Harmony 2 up in mix (“) - Optional: Activity/teaching notes to accompany the song in a Microsoft Word format are desirable, particularly if your subject base has specific scientific or educational interest which would enhance the understanding of the meaning of the song.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the song still be mine?
Yep. The song will remain the property of the songwriter, but you grant The Glasshouse permission for performances, and educational use, including hosting all component parts on The Glasshouse’s website, and within the member-only accessible Sing Up Partner Page, as an educational tool, as needed, during the timeframe of this academic year’s Big Sing.
By accepting the commission and fee, you agree to your song being hosted on Sing Up’s website (this is where schools access their teaching resources for Big Sing). You agree that participating schools can stream and download all audio, view, download & print any and all scores or lyrics sheets provided, as educational resources to carry out the project. You agree the song can be used during a streamed teacher training session which will be recorded and viewable via a private link on Vimeo until the end of the project, for teachers who were unable to attend the live teacher training event, to access in their own time.
The full, one-off fee for each commissioned song completed by Friday 21 February 2025, to include completed score, audio parts, & lyrics, is £500.
A reduced one-off fee of £350 can be offered for each commission, if the songwriter would like support with revisions, scoring, or recording (including vocals).
You must request this support on application.
If the songwriter is not able to meet the final deadline of Friday 21 February, the fee will be reviewed based on how much is left to be completed by a 3rd party. If it is not possible to complete the song, the fee will be withdrawn.
We aim to review all submissions week beginning Monday 25 November.
Shortlisted Songwriters will be invited via email to a follow-up conversation on Friday 29 November, appointment times will be sent through.
We aim to inform successful applicants by email by 5pm on Friday 29 November in order to begin the songwriting process and aim to send contracts by Friday 6 December.
How to apply
Artists interested in this opportunity must submit an Expression Of Interest via e-mail by: Monday 25 November 2024 by 9am.
E-mail to: schools@theglasshouseicm.org
Subject title: E.O.I Big Sing 2025 Commission
Expressions of Interest (E.O.I.) must contain the following:
- Artist Statement: A written statement, no longer than one page in length, or audio recording, or video outlining:
- Your songwriting experience
- Why this commission is of interest to you
- Outline of your song idea:
A fully-formed verse or chorus, including lyrics & tune (score or just audio is fine), is required in order to consider your application.
The outline must represent the premise of the song you intend to write and its link to the topic.
Provide thoughts on musical style, tempo, topic and/or lyrical content.
- Links/attachments to no more than 3 videos or audio files demonstrating a fully formed verse or chorus, including lyrics & tune and any other additional ideas.
- Please provide your availability Monday – Friday during week beginning 25 November for a 15 minute call to discuss your submission. This can be online or via phone.
The finer details...
- Prospective songwriters must be able to fulfil all of the requirements above to receive the full fee of £500.
- A reduced fee of £350 can be offered to those needing assistance with 1 of the following:
— Scoring
— Music production/vocal recording
(This requirement must be requested on application). - Songwriters must make sure any lyrics including scientific facts, and any supporting activity notes, are factually correct.
- The final scores and audio must match.
- The Glasshouse reserves the right to ask for amendments where this is not the case.