NCEM Composers Award
2012 NCEM Composers Award
The Tallis Scholars have long wanted to work with young composers. After various discussions they launched several carol writing competitions in 2007 with promoters from the Christmas tour that year. The collaborations proved positive and further talks about the idea ensued with BBC Radio 3 and the National Centre for Early Music.
The first NCEM Young Composers Award was launched in May 2008 at Beverley Minster, the second in 2009 with the two winning compositions being performed by The Tallis Scholars at a glorious concert in York Minster as part of York Early Music Festival. The third competition was held in 2010, and the winning compositions were performed at Chester Cathedral as part of Chester Summer Music Festival. Alexander Campkin, a 2010 winner, was nominated for a BASCA British Composer Award in 2011. Do watch the short documentary which was made about the competition.
The Tallis Scholars took a break from the competition in 2011 to allow young composers to write for different forces but they are thrilled to renew their association with National Centre for Early Music and BBC Radio 3 and to announce the launch of the NCEM Young Composers Competition 2012. The award was launched on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show on Sunday 15 January 2012.
This major national award is a result of the continued success of the NCEM's partnership with BBC Radio 3 and internationally acclaimed vocal group The Tallis Scholars. The 2012 Award is open to composers up to the age of 25, divided into two age categories: up to 18 years and 19 to 25 years. The young composers are invited to write a new piece for The Tallis Scholars. Expressions of interest must be registered with the NCEM by Friday 2 March and completed scores submitted no later than Friday 30 March 2012.
The Award will be judged in York on Thursday 17 May 2012 by Delma Tomlin, Director of the National Centre for Early Music; Chris Wines, Senior Music Producer, BBC Radio 3 and Peter Phillips, Director of The Tallis Scholars.
Peter Phillips with the 2010 winners
Delma Tomlin says: “Since the inaugural Award in 2008 it has been exciting to receive so many accomplished new works from young composers up and down the country. It has also been a great pleasure to note the ongoing success of young composers such as Alexander Campkin, winner of the 2009 Award, whose winning piece ‘O magnum mysterium’ has been performed or broadcast by The Tallis Scholars in over ten countries, who has been nominated as a finalist in the British Composers Awards 2011.”
The winning pieces from the NCEM Composers Award 2012 will be premièred by The Tallis Scholars in Durham Cathedral on Saturday 2 June 2012 as part of the city's Queen's Jubilee celebrations. The concert will also include works by Palestrina, Gabrieli, Taverner and Pärt.
Terms and conditions of how to take part in the NCEM Composers Award 2012 can be found at: www.ncem.co.uk/composersaward2012.
