This weekend we had the privilige of reviewing 23 really fabulous entries for our 2020 ERSO Soloist of the Year competition. We were overwhelmed by the talent that was displayed and choosing only 4 players to move onto the Final was incredibly tough.
We’re proud to present our fabuous finalists!
After an amazing afternoon on Sunday’s Final Workshop for the ERSO Emerging Composers’ competiton, we had a really tough choice to make in selecting a winner. Our fab five finalists were selected from a really impressive set of candidates and the workshop showed why these five earned their places in the final. Each composer had a totally unique approach to creating a Birthday Fanfare for Ernest Read – but the thing that united them was talent!
After much deliberation, we are delighted to announce that talented young composition student Alexander Papp is our winner.
What an afternoon we had at today’s Final Workshop for the ERSO Emerging Composers’ competiton. Our fab five finalists were selected from a really impressive set of candidates and today showed why they earned their places in the final. Each composer had a totally unique approach to creating a Birthday Fanfare for Ernest Read – but the thing that united them was talent!
We were delighted to be joined by acclaimed composer Emma-Ruth Richards, who helped us to select the finalists, and whose feedback will be invaluable to the young composers.
Watch this space for news on our winner – a tough choice for ERSO to pick a winner from such an excpetional group!
“My musical journey started like many others, grinding bow hairs against the strings of an unfortunate violin. It was through this instrument, and being a part of various orchestras and ensembles, that I developed a love for music and the ambition to create my own.
At this moment, I am studying for a degree in mathematics, and composition is my primary excuse for missing lectures. I wish to continue balancing these competing interests in the future, by developing as a composer and having my music performed more frequently. The workshop on the 15th of March will be the first time that an orchestra has played one of my pieces, and I hope it is not the last.”
19 year-old composer Alexander Papp holds a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music studying composition with Gary Carpenter. Alex previously studied at the Purcell School, is a Composer alumni of the National Youth Orchestra and in 2016/17 was an Associate Composer with the Britten Sinfonia Academy. In 2016 he was a prizewinner in the RPS Duet Young Composer Prize and in 2017 he won the RSNO ‘Notes from Scotland’ Young Composer Prize.
“I read music at Newnham College, Cambridge, where my composition
supervisors included Joseph Phibbs and Cheryl Frances-Hoad. Since I
graduated in 2016, my music has been performed in Ireland, France and Sweden, as well as across the UK in venues such as Saffron Hall, Buckfast Abbey and Ely Cathedral. In 2017-18 I was Caritas Chamber Choir’s Composer of the Year, and last year I had two pieces performed on BBC Radio 3.
I’ve written a lot of choral music and chamber music, but this fanfare for
ERSO is my first piece for orchestra, so I know the workshop will be a
fantastic learning opportunity – I’m excited to discover what in my piece
works well and what doesn’t! I’m keen to write more orchestral music in the future and I’m sure it will be informed by the experience of hearing my piece workshopped by ERSO.”
Caitlin Harrison began her studies in composition at Birmingham Junior Conservatoire before completing her undergraduate degree at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with Stephen Montague and Deirdre Gribbin. She participated in an Erasmus exchange to the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź, Poland, where she studied with Zygmunt Krauze.
Caitlin is an ambitious composer who enjoys new and innovative projects. Her work includes blindfolding performers, filming in an old Jewish ghetto and recording dancers in a swimming pool. Her violin concerto for chamber orchestra was premiered by Ben Richardson and conducted by Jonathan Mann in June 2018 along with her art film ‘Noise’. Recent commissions include works for St Wulfram’s Church Choir (Grantham), Exeter College Chapel Choir (Oxford) and Ensemble ISIS. Caitlin is currently studying for an MPhil in composition at the University of Oxford under Robert Saxton.
“Not being from a musical family, my initiation into music was in many ways random and unexpected. I began my musical career when I was thirteen, starting first as a piano improviser, then as a composer. Now twenty-one, I continue to develop these skills as a Master’s student of composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.
While very different from my home of Buffalo, NY (USA), I have fully immersed myself in a wide variety of projects in my first year of postgraduate studies. Perhaps one of my personally most-anticipated projects includes a performance of my orchestral work Harvest Festival, Op. 32a scheduled for the June 24th, 2020 at St. David’s Hall in Cardiff by the RWCMD Symphony Orchestra under conductor David Jones.
My goal is to continue to write for as many occasions as I can possibly find, and to be a composer-in-residence for an organization is my ultimate aim. Additionally, I hope to one day help others in their compositional pursuits, offering my teachings and advice as a tutor/lecturer.”
We’re very excited to be able to announce a shortlist of composers for ERSO’s composers’ competition.
Emerging composers were asked to submit an inspiring, contemporary classical Fanfare to help us celebrate ERSO’s 90th birthday. We were thrilled by the number of impressive submissions and the huge amount of talent that was demonstrated and we were delighted to have acclaimed British composer Emma-Ruth Richards as part of our panel assessing the entries.
Selecting only a few composers to move onto the final stage was a really tough choice, but in the end we narrowed it down to five really talented composers who have been invited to the workshop final on March 15th.
The five finalists are:
Watch this space for more information about the fantastic five!
Despite the efforts of the storm to deter both players and audience, last night’s Brahms and Debussy concert really was a soaring success!
The day didn’t start so well – our soloist looked likely to be stranded in Birmingham. And then our lovely bass trombone, Malcolm, was knocked over by the wind and wasn’t able to play. We ended up fielding a stand-in player (huge thanks to David Barnard who is a Trustee for the Ernest Read Trust) wearing leader John’s spare shirt and playing what can only be described as a fairly rudimentary instrument sourced by Brass Leader Grady, who travelled across London for most of the afternoon and almost didn’t get back in time due to tube problems!
Come concert time and all of this was forgotten. Soloist Chu Yu Yang gave a lyrical and immensley accomplished performance of the Lark Ascending – orchestra and audience alike were hugely impressed by his gorgeous tone. Conductor Chris illuminated La Mer to our audience using some well chosen musical examples followed by the full work and the evening ended with a stirring performance of Brahms’ 1st Symphony.
A real case of all’s well that ends well!
ERSO 