Goldberg Ensemble Archive

Records relating to the Goldberg Ensemble's annual 'Celebration of New Music for Strings' tours, which ran from 2001 to 2008 and included performances, children's workshops and student composer's workshops. The records include scores of works performed by the Goldberg ensemble during the 'Celebration of New Music for Strings tours, programmes for each of the tours, correspondence concerning the Goldberg Ensemble and the tours and CDs containing recordings of performances by the Ensemble.

The Goldberg Ensemble of 11 solo strings was formed in 1982 by Malcolm Layfield. Over its 33 year history the Goldberg Ensemble has given broadcasts and performances in concert series and festivals throughout Britain, Europe, South America and the Far East. In the 1990s the Ensemble developed a commitment to new music and British composers, performing world premières on BBC Radio Three and appearing at new music events, including Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.

In 2000 the Ensemble set out to extend the English string music tradition by commissioning new works. To showcase these works, they launched the annual Celebration of New Music for Strings tours, which ran from 2001 to 2008 and included performances, children's workshops and student composer's workshops. A total of 39 works were written for the tours which included music by the University of Huddersfield's Professor Michael Clarke and a former student of the University, Joe Cutler, who went on to become Head of Composition at Birmingham Conservatoire and a featured composer at hcmf// 2005 and 2010.

Original available for consultation by appointment

In July 2012 the Goldberg Ensemble deposited their records relating to the 'Celebration' tours with the University's Archive Service by Professor Malcolm Layfield (then Goldberg Ensemble Artistic Director and Head of the School of Strings, Royal Northern College of Music)