How young musicians can get free advice from an array of experts

A cutting-edge series of video masterclasses for young people aimed at demystifying the process of writing music is now online.

Ear Opener is a free how-to guide featuring interviews with celebrated musicians and composers from across the genre spectrum including Brian Eno, Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien, award-winning composer Isobel Waller-Bridge, composer & saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi and rapper Lowkey. It is written and presented by award-winning composer and Clod Ensemble co-artistic director Paul Clark.

Ear Opener combines simple, accessible explanations of the tools that people who write music use every day, with honest discussions about the creative process. It has been created for any young person creating their own music – whether they’re studying music at secondary school or making music in their own time.

The series was designed with ages 14 to 20 in mind, with more than 20 videos designed to spark creativity and ambition. However, Ear Opener will be valuable for musicians of all ages, whether making music with computers or acoustic instruments. Viewers don’t need to know any music theory or read music.

Ear Opener explains complex concepts in simple terms, using a range of musical examples and a mixture of visual learning tools. Paul Clark draws on over 15 years’ experience of working in secondary state schools with students who have consistently achieved remarkable results in composition.