Sound and Music

Sound and Music is the coming together of four organisations to create the UK’s first national development agency for sound and music.

British Music Information Centre (BMIC)

Founded in 1967, BMIC has been a leading promotion and documentation resource for 20th and 21st century music in the UK. It brings to SAM its unique collection of scores, recordings and background information on music in Great Britain, representing more than 2800 composers. BMIC is also responsible for the event series the Cutting Edge and Cutting Edge Tour and the New Voices and Contemporary Voices initiatives, which promote the work of young British composers.

Contemporary Music Network (CMN)

The Contemporary Music Network has been involved in the contemporary music scene for 35 years. Based within Arts Council England’s music department, CMN produces high quality live contemporary music tours and events, such as Kill Your Timid Notion.

Sonic Arts Network (SAN)

Sonic Arts Network was set up in 1979 to produce events – such as the Cut & Splice series and the Expo festival – that bring the best new and existing work by sound artists from around the world to inspire British audiences and practitioners. In 1989 SAN realised its first educational project at the Huddersfield Festival of Contemporary Music and continued its commitment to facilitating learning at all levels with workshops at Expo events, leading the education programme for Sonic Boom in 2000 and flagship education project, Sonic Postcards.

SPNM (Society for the Promotion of New Music)

Founded in 1943, SPNM was a membership organisation for people with an interest in new music. It was particularly committed to finding the best of the next generation of composers. SPNM initiatives such as the award-winning Sound Inventors programme, The Shortlist, Adopt a Composer and Composing for Kids helped to launch the careers of many of the UK's leading composers. SPNM also brings to Sound and Music its Sound Source experimental music nights throughout the UK.