Seeds of Hope: an interview with composer and instructor Alison Mathews
Children don’t start wars. They don’t spout inflammatory rhetoric. They don’t try to destroy their neighbors. Yet when adults go to battle with one another, they’re the ones who suffer the most. They’re collateral damage—forced to carry the consequences of decisions they never made.
As I write this introduction, there is a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. Hostages have been released. Those of us outside the conflict wait and hope—hope that this time the violence will end. We hope that this time, all the children—Palestinian and Israeli—will someday know peace and security.
What can any of us offer in response to the horror of war that plays out on our screens each day? Most of us feel helpless to do anything. Composer and teacher Alison Mathews chose a different path. When confronted with the faces of Palestinian children, she answered with Seeds of Hope—a collection of piano solos, duets, and creative activities for young pianists. She, along with 21 other composers, created a book that offers play, creativity, and beauty.
Regardless of one’s political opinion about the latest conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, most of us can find common ground on one thing: the children aren’t to blame. Perhaps, through hopeful acts of grace and beauty, we can all find a way to help the next generation find their shared humanity. And perhaps, through the example of people like Alison Mathews, we all can find ways to make our world a little kinder. It’s an honor to feature her on No Dead Guys.
Congratulations on creating a career for yourself as a pianist, composer, and teacher. When did you begin writing your own music and what was your first piece?
That’s a hard question to answer as composing hasn’t been a straightforward path! My own piano lessons were very exam-driven, learning repertoire, technique and general musicianship with not much scope for creativity! Anything I did creatively was outside of my lessons. I remember writing music in my teens for a band I put together with a group of friends but that didn’t last long. Not surprising seeing as I was the only one who was learning an instrument! Then, when I was studying for my first degree, we had lessons in ‘techniques’, where we learnt about different forms of music through composition, I really enjoyed that! It was very structured, and the focus was on following a specific brief, and to a certain extent imitating other works, but it opened a door for me. At the same time, I began teaching local children and that’s when I began arranging music and composing small pieces for students.
Most of your published compositions feature music for beginning and intermediate pianists. What drew you to write for students and in what way has your teaching career influenced your compositions?
The influence has been enormous! So much of my early writing was in response to individual student’s needs, coupled with my desire to help my students fall in love with the sound and potential of the piano. So much music for beginners and method books (especially 30 odd years ago!) were written in narrow confines and fixed positions - middle C, with the idea of introducing slowly each note, D, E etc. A student could stay in a fixed position for some time! That approach focuses very much on note-learning, but I was determined to write music that allowed students to explore all ranges of the piano, enjoy the full sonority and give them confidence to move freely. This meant finding ways to create imaginative sounds within the boundaries of what a beginner could read, or memorise, and develop techniques with pedagogically sound concepts. I’ve always enjoyed solving a musical ‘problem’ or pushing against limitations. It is very rewarding to write for beginner or intermediate students, particularly those who may have difficulties which can be overcome by writing in a particular way, or to open their ears to the incredible sound world of the piano!
One of the many things that impresses me about your career is that you founded Compose Yourself!, a UK competition that provides opportunity for young piano composers. What sparked this idea and how has the response been to it?
Composition and encouraging creativity have always been integral to my teaching. It’s so important to give developing pianists the opportunity to explore, grow in confidence and give the chance for self-expression. I’ve seen this first-hand so many times! For many years I’d felt the lack of a dedicated festival - something that would provide a goal and a sense of achievement to any creative young pianist. Although there were competitions aimed at older children or those that had a composition class, many were only competitive. I felt it was important to have a festival that included a non-competitive class that would provide feedback and encouragement and be very accessible, both in terms of cost and ability.
I first set this up with a colleague, Lindsey Berwin, during the first year of Covid for pianists aged 5-18. We had a brilliant response! The European Teachers Association provided support and funding as did the exam board, Trinity College London. As the festival entries were all done via video it worked very well during lockdown, with private teachers, studios and music departments in school getting involved. We went on to run it again and then I took it over as a solo project. Sadly, I had to take a break from organizing the festival due to demands on my time, including family and health problems. I would hope that it could run again in the future, but I have to recognize that it’s not something I could take on by myself!
I was drawn to your work through Seeds of Hope, a collections of piano solos, duets, and creative activities that you recently compiled as a fundraising project to benefit music programs for Palestinian children. What gave you the idea to do this?
I’d been wanting to get more involved in raising funds and awareness for these causes for a while and to extend what I was doing personally into my professional life. I’ve seen colleagues who have done something similar in the past but going to a fundraising concert in London early in the year by a classical musician’s collective – Make Freedom Ring - was inspiring and gave me the push! I’d also been following several families and Palestinian children on social media, who despite being displaced several times and living under enormous hardship, had continued to grow their own food and draw strength and hope from doing so. I really felt that the theme of growth, and on a really simple level the idea of kitchen-gardening, was something any child (or adult!) could easily connect to and be engaged by. The most natural thing for me to do was to write music! Initially, I was going to write a fundraising book myself but after some consideration, I decided that a group of composers would have more impact, more diversity and provide a strong mix of musical heritage whilst maintaining a strong Palestinian thread.
One of the most heartwarming things about Seeds of Hope is that because it includes compositions from 22 composers, it is a true community effort. How did you choose which composers to include in this book and how did you go about commissioning them?
Initially I started asking friends and colleagues as I was aware that being a charity project, I needed a core set of composers who would be happy to contribute and give support. Also, as part of Compose Yourself! I’d had a wonderful group of composers who generously contributed ‘reward’ pieces for entrants which meant I had a list of lovely contacts! My plan was to have a range of composers from different countries, those that are highly regarded and renowned in their field, as well as those who are up and coming. I spent time contacting composers or asking for introductions and on the whole received positive replies and more support than I initially thought possible. Over time, I became braver and approached more people, hoping things would fall into place! Most importantly, I wanted to have a strong Palestinian presence, which took a longer amount of time to achieve. Through various contacts I was introduced to the Academic Director of the Bethlehem branch of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music and his assistant. They were generous with their time and support, offering music from their own syllabus by eminent Palestinian composers such as Salvador Arnita and Rima Nasir Tarzi. I also spent time searching online for composers with Palestinian heritage, making contact with Ahmed Abu-Abed, a composer and educator living in Jordan. One of the best things about this process was being able to meet Raji from the Conservatory in Bethlehem, when he was on tour in the UK for a series of concerts with the singer Zaid Hilal. That meeting resulted in another commission – a piano version of Zaid’s song ‘Libre Palestina’, which provided the perfect way to end the book. Part of his song has now become viral on social media, which is brilliant! Although the overall concept of the book is mine, so many people helped along the way, for example checking translations, suggesting suitable folk songs, taking on the task of engraving. I am extremely grateful as everyone involved gave their music, time and expertise freely.
In addition to the charming pieces included in this collection, you’ve added games, activities, and QR codes so students can 'play along' with various backing tracks. How do you feel these things enhance the learning experience for young pianists?
I really feel that having creative elements, or activities and backing tracks helps to develop musicianship and a deeper understanding of music in an engaging, appealing and practical way. They can reinforce specific theory concepts, such as the use of modes, scales, motifs – anything you want to focus on, including playing techniques. Most importantly, it gives the student a chance to discover how they can create their own music and be inspired by what they are learning! Many of my students really enjoy using backing tracks, pushing their performance level forwards, or using lead sheets and creating accompaniments. All these elements enhance the learning process, making for a more holistic approach.
How did you go about publishing the book?
Although I have experience in self-publishing, I’ve never taken on such a large project or a collaboration anything like this and it has been a steep learning curve! There are a lot of things to consider and many stages to go through but one where I have less experience is in distribution. Luckily, Editions Musica Ferrum, who publishes much of my work, was generous in offering to publish a digital copy of the book on their site without commission. I was then introduced to the brilliant guys at Sheet Music Now, who despite not knowing me, surprised me by also offering to publish the book without commission. I really couldn’t ask for more! I’ve gone through the process of learning how to prepare a book for printing physical copies (thanks very much to my eldest son Luke!) and feel that it has been an achievement! I must also mention the artist, Tiril Valeur, who I knew from her incredible work as an activist artist. I messaged her out of the blue, explained the project and incredibly she offered to do all the artwork without fees. The artwork is integral to the book and brings it all to life, so I am very grateful to her and my publishers.
Is Seeds of Hope available for purchase? If so, where might we find it?
Yes, you can buy a single digital license copy from Sheet Music Now and either a studio or single license from Editions Musica Ferrum. Currently physical copies are only available from my website, which means there are no distribution costs and therefore more money for the charities!
I understand that all proceeds (minus the price of printing and distribution) will go to two charities. What are these charities and why did you choose them?
The two charities I chose reflect what is most important in my professional life – the importance of music in the life of all children, no matter where they are, or their background. All children deserve to have the gift of music. I looked for well-established charities both in Palestine and the West Bank and round the world. Honestly, there are so many charities doing incredible work that it was a very hard choice!
Both PalMusicUK and Musicians Without Borders focus on delivering music programmes such as workshops, or weekly classes to children who are affected by conflict, displacement and the associated trauma. PalMusicUk focusses on supporting ongoing music education and the nurturing of talent throughout Palestine and emphasizes the importance of musical heritage. Musicians Without Borders focus on bringing music to places affected by war and placing it at the heart of the community as a means of peace-building and social change.
I feel that the connection to music, the ability to bring hope and to lift children or indeed anyone of any age, out of their immediate struggles is so important. As Musicians Without Borders says, war divides, music connects.
How might we donate additional funds to these charities?
Both of these charities have a donate page – PalMusicUk and Musicians Without Borders
What advice can you offer other musicians who seek to support humanitarian causes through their music?
If you feel strongly about a cause, don’t hesitate - act on it and follow your heart! It’s natural to feel overwhelmed or helpless when you see the enormity of events taking place, but taking a positive step to help, in any way, is rewarding and self-sustaining. Use your network and ask for help and support, then be brave and move beyond your immediate circle as it may lead you somewhere unexpected. Be persistent but always polite! I’ve found that it can take a lot of energy so take strength from those that are generous with their time and don’t be put off by less than supportive or negative responses. Keep in mind that you may feel what you are doing is small, perhaps inconsequential, or isn’t having the effect you desire, but your actions will ripple outwards. Remember, by acting and supporting a cause you may well provide an opening for others who would like to do the same and will encourage them to come forward. On a practical level, have a plan in mind but be flexible and adaptable as it’s highly likely there will be bumps along the way! Get in touch with the charities or organisation you wish to support as they may well help you.
No matter what the cause is, there will be people who disagree with you or are simply not interested. I’ve found it helpful to remember a quote by an arts organisation I follow on social media who wrote…
It is not controversial to relentlessly uphold our common humanity, dignity and rights regardless of context.
Alison is a composer and piano teacher with a thriving private teaching studio in Surrey, UK. After gaining a teaching diploma she went on to study for her first degree at the Royal College of Music, London. Alison then continued her studies at Surrey University and was awarded her master’s degree.
Central to both Alison’s teaching and writing is the fostering of pianist’s musicianship and creativity. Composing for students was a natural step in her career, with the desire to create imaginative music that exploited the full range and sonority of the piano. She quickly established herself as an educational composer, with a portfolio of published books and commissions from ABRSM, Trinity College London and Breitkopf & Härtel. As well as her solo collections, Alison’s work can be found in various anthologies and exam syllabi, including ABRSM, Trinity College London, RCM, RIAM, St Cecilia’s International Exam Board and ANZCA.
As part of her desire to promote creativity in teaching, Alison has written a variety of educational resources and articles on introducing and developing composition for young pianists. In 2020 she co-founded the composition festival, ‘Compose Yourself’, with the aim of providing an opportunity for young pianist composers across the UK.