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COMPETITION RESULTS

We are delighted to announce the results of our first composition competition, which was of an extraordinarily high standard. Thank you to all seventy-seven composers who entered.

In addition to the two open prizes and the under-19 prize, two honourable mentions (under-19 division) are awarded in recognition of the particularly high standard of applications from this age group.

PRIZE-WINNERS

Pernille Faye
Pongtorn Techaboonakho (he/him)
Robin Haigh

Winner of The Howarth of London Open Prize for Oboe Composition – Robin Haigh

Winner of The BDRS-Leitzinger Open Prize for Bassoon Composition – Pongtorn Techaboonakho (he/him)

Winner of The Oboe Shop @ Crowthers-BDRS Under-19 Prize for Oboe Composition – Pernille Faye

Each prize-winner has been commissioned to write a new work to be premiered at a BDRS event. The premieres of the new works by Robin Haigh and Pernille Faye were given at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery on 18th September 2022 as part of the BDRS Double Reed Discovery Day. The premiere of Pongtorn Techaboonakho’s new work will be given at the Royal Academy of Music on 29th October 2023 as part of the BDRS/RAM Double Reed Celebration.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS (Under-19 division)

Lucy Keeley
Maddie Melville-Smith

PRIZES

The Howarth of London Open Prize for Oboe Composition
  • A £1000 commission to write a new 8- to 12-minute work for unaccompanied oboe,
  • to be premiered by BDRS Oboe president Nicholas Daniel.
The BDRS-Leitzinger Open Prize for Bassoon Composition
  • A £1000 commission to write a new 8- to 12-minute work for unaccompanied bassoon,
  • to be premiered by Amy Harman, ENO and Aurora Orchestra Principal Bassoon.
The Oboe Shop @ Crowthers-BDRS Under-19 Prize for Oboe Composition
  • A £200 commission to write a new work of up to 6 minutes for unaccompanied oboe,
  • to be premiered by Henry Clay, RSNO Principal Cor Anglais, and
  • mentoring from professional composer Cheryl Frances-Hoad.

Each winner will also benefit from consultations with their respective premiere performer during the composition process.

All commissioned works will be published by Emerson Edition Ltd.

We are very grateful to our prize sponsors Howarth of London, Leitzinger, and The Oboe Shop @ Crowthers.

JUDGES

Joining Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Nicholas Daniel, and Amy Harman on our diverse panel of expert judges were Atéa Wind Quintet and RIOT Ensemble oboist Philip Haworth, and Aarhus Symphony Orchestra Principal Bassoon Justin Sun.

The panel applied a two-stage judging process. All applicants, including those under 19, were considered for each of the two open prizes. The only prize that was restricted to a subset of applicants was the under-19 prize.

QUERIES

Any queries regarding the competition should be sent to Alison Wathey.