Win the chance to have your composition performed by the Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra (ERSO), one of London’s leading and longest established amateur orchestras, conducted by renowned conductor Christopher Stark.

We are proud to champion developmental opportunities for emerging professional musicians through our ERSO Talent Programme and are strongly committed to providing musical opportunities for children and young people.

Emerging composers who are UK residents are invited to submit original works to our emerging composers’ competition.  The winning piece will be performed in ERSO’s summer concert on 22nd June 2025 at St John’s Waterloo.  As the church is celebrating its 200th anniversary, we would welcome submissions inspired in some way by celebrating anniversaries or the history of very special places.

We will select a shortlist for a half day workshop where the composers will be invited to workshop their pieces with ERSO.  These composers will benefit from feedback by our conductor Christopher Stark, leader John Crawford (Professor at Trinity Laban) and from the orchestra.  ERSO will print parts and scores for the shortlisted pieces.  The workshop will be recorded, and each Finalist will be given a recording of ERSO playing their piece to use as part of their portfolio.

The composer of the winning Piece will be awarded a prize of £150.

Entries must be an original work for orchestra, up to 7 mins in length.   The piece does not need to be specifically composed for this competition but should not have been performed in public before. 

The composition should be orchestrated for performance by a full symphony orchestra.  Submissions should be orchestrated for performance by a full symphony orchestra (see Application process and rules for information about permitted orchestration). 

Entry to the competition is free. Applications are now open and close on November 1, 2024