Composer Laura Bowler on leading the Cheltenham Music Festival’s Composer Academy, recorded on-site during the week of workshops in Gloucestershire.

In March 2026, composer Laura Bowler was announced as the new Director of Cheltenham Music Festival’s Composer Academy — an incubation scheme that, this year, pairs five early-career composers with George Parris and the Carice Singers. During the week of workshops and discussions, new music has been developed for a showcase in the Festival’s second week. The same works also go on to feature in the Spitalfields Festival 2027. 

On my trip to hear chamber music at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this week, I spent time with Laura and the 2026 cohort of composers at their secluded hideaway – an opportunity to get a flavour of what they are doing and how they are doing it. Located just a twenty-minute car journey from the centre of Cheltenham is the tiny village of Syde, very much Cotswold country, sun beating down on yet-to-be-harvested fields. Cottage gardens, the views beyond all very Vaughan Williams (even if he was only born in the area), and the converted barn in which the Academy had been convening for the week, quite the venue.