Go Compose: Eastern Caribbean 2025

We are delighted to share the news that Go Compose: Eastern Caribbean will return to Antigua this July! Following the enormous success of last year’s initiative, our team of international composers and educators will once again join young musicians from Antigua & Barbuda for a week of creativity, collaboration, and inspiration.

The course will include a celebratory concert taking place on Saturday 19th July. This year’s theme, Composing Beyond Boundaries, will encourage participants to explore how music interacts with other disciplines—from art and poetry to science and history—allowing them to create truly personal and original works.

Returning tutor Rosemary Ball reflected on a highlight from last year’s course:

“A big highlight for me last year was rehearsing everyone’s pieces for the first time. There is something really special about hearing your own music brought to life by musicians—it often changes the way you hear it or relate to it. Watching students make final tweaks to their compositions as they began to imagine the performance was absolutely fascinating.”

Rosemary is particularly excited to see what ideas emerge from this year’s theme:

“It will be a great opportunity for the young composers to bring their personalities into the music and combine their wider interests with their creative work.”

Rosemary also noted the incredible energy and unity displayed by the Caribbean musicians:

“One thing that struck me about working with the young musicians from Antigua, Montserrat and St Kitts was how much they value collaboration and making music together. The steel pan orchestra moved as one, and everyone looked like they were having heaps of fun! Their sense of rhythm is infectious—it’s a powerful reminder of how music lives in the body as well as the mind.”

As ever, the programme will include composition workshops, masterclasses, and performance opportunities. Participants will work alongside professional musicians, film composers, and orchestral mentors, developing skills that extend far beyond the rehearsal room.

We look forward to another unforgettable week of musical exploration, friendship and cultural exchange. Be sure to follow our blog and social media channels for updates, stories, and performances from this extraordinary project.