CHOMBEC stands for the Centre for the History of Music in Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth. It was a part of the music department at the

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

(UK) until the summer of 2017. It was founded in 2006 by Professor Stephen Banfield. CHOMBEC's aims were to encourage and provide a focal point for research into the history of music in the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...

, in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

, and within the

West Country The West Country (occasionally Westcountry) is a loosely defined area of South West England, usually taken to include all, some, or parts of the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, and, less commonly, Wiltshire, Glo ...

. CHOMBEC, in association with the University of Bristol, ran an MA (

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...

) degree in British music. The programme offered the opportunity to specialise in music of the British Empire and music in the West Country. CHOMBEC also ran seminars and conferences on various aspects of British music. These have included '

Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

, Hardy and the Ninth Symphony' (spring 2008), ' Rubbra Revived: Sinfonia Sacra and Beyond' (Spring 2008), 'The Sounds of Stonehenge' (autumn 2008), 'Celebrating George Dyson' (spring 2007), and ' Robert Pearsall - Bristol's Forgotten Composer' (autumn 2006).2006 - The Anniversary of Robert Lucas Pearsall
{Dead link, date=June 2019 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes The most recent, 'The Sounds of Stonehenge' explored the multiple soundscapes of the ancient stone's 5,000-year history. The cultural history of the stones, their acoustics, and Neolithic England's musical instruments were presented in a one-day workshop that brought Stonehenge's legend up-to-date with its depiction and importance in film and rock music. CHOMBEC still hosts a number of academic archives that have been donated to the Centre since it was founded. Archives are held at the university's Special Collections section of the Arts and Social Sciences Library and can include manuscript scores, audio recordings, and personal papers relating to the composers and their lives. In 2008 archives for Edgar Hunt, Sir

Michael Tippett Sir Michael Kemp Tippett (2 January 1905 – 8 January 1998) was an English composer who rose to prominence during and immediately after the Second World War. In his lifetime he was sometimes ranked with his contemporary Benjamin Britten ...

, a combined archive for Frank Merrick and Hope Squire, and one for John Raynor were all acquired by the university. These archives join the Stanley Godman archive donated in 2007. CHOMBEC published a twice-yearly newsletter, ''CHOMBEC News'', with articles on composers, performers, and research projects around the world: archive copies of older editions of ''CHOMBEC News'' can be downloaded from their website as PDF files.

References

---- Links
CHOMBEC
homepage
University of Bristol
Musicology University of Bristol