NCEM Composers Award: Short List Announced
This is the first year of the National Centre for Early Music’s new partnership with BBC Radio 3 and The Tallis Scholars which will see the winning pieces, for four part a cappella (unaccompanied) choir, receive the honour of being premiered by The Tallis Scholars at the opening concert of the York Early Music Festival on 10 July 2009 in York Minster. Highlights from the concert, including the winning composition, will be broadcast on the BBC Radio 3's Early Music Show on the 25th July.
The short-listed composers are: Michael Perrett (20yrs), from Gosport, Hampshire, currently studying at the RNCM; William Blake (20yrs) from Beckenham, Kent, studying at Queens College, Oxford; Paul Edis (23yrs) from Durham; Thomas Neal (18yrs) from Stockton on Tees; Tom Harrold (17yrs) from Glasgow and Elizabeth Edwards (16yrs) from Camberley in Surrey.
They will work with the composer Christopher Fox on Thursday 14 May prior to a public performance of their work by York’s own Ebor Singers in the evening at the NCEM. The winning pieces will be announced at an awards ceremony at the end of this concert.
Each of the six new pieces will be recorded by University of York music technology students and, as part of the comprehensive development programme behind this Award, visitors to the NCEM website will be able to listen to them there.
Delma Tomlin, director of the NCEM and one of the panel of judges for the Award, says: “We were absolutely delighted to see so many entries, over 50, from all over the UK and clearly have something very positive to build on in the future. Our youngest composer was just 11 and whilst he has not been short-listed, we were particularly pleased to see such positive enthusiasm. So much so that we have already agreed the Award will go ahead in 2010 and that the experience would be enhanced by offering a commissioned set text.
“We are really looking forward to welcoming Michael, William, Thomas, Paul, Tom and Elizabeth to the NCEM on 14 May for what is guaranteed to be a very positive, nurturing and enriching experience for these young composers and one which offers a valuable opportunity to begin building the all important relationship with an audience within the supportive surroundings of the NCEM.”
Further information about the Composers Award is available from:
www.ncem.co.uk/composersaward or www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/earlymusicshow
Alternatively, contact the NCEM on 01904 632220 or email info@ncem.co.uk
The National Centre for Early Music is administered by the York Early Music Foundation and funded by Arts Council England, Yorkshire.
