NCEM Instrumental Composers’ Awards 2011
Fretwork, The National Centre for Early Music and BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show present the third annual young composers award. This year we asked young composers who are resident in the UK to write a new work of up to four minutes’ duration, to utilise the remarkable playing skills of the famous viol consort. There are two awards, one for composers 18 years and under, and one for composers aged 19 to 25.
A shortlist of entries was presented by Fretwork in a workshop setting at the National Centre for Early Music in York, on Tuesday 25 October 2011 in the presence of the composers. On the same day, Fretwork presented each of the pieces in front of a panel of judges at the Church of All Saints, North Street, York, and the winners were announced.
The winning works were then premièred by Fretwork on Wednesday 21 December 2011, at Kings Place in London. This concert was recorded for future broadcast on Radio 3’s Early Music Show in the new year of 2012.
In fact, there were two winning entries from the younger category: Bertie Baigent’s ‘In Memoriam In Nomine’ and Sarah Gait’s ‘Death Fires’. Christopher Roberts ‘my oe’r flowing teares’ was the winner in the older category.
To hear the members of Fretwork talking and demonstrating how to compose for a viol consort, visit the BBC Early Music Show website.