The results of the competition have now been announced.
See full details here.
Key events
Competition Final
Sunday 2 November, 2.30-5.30pm
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
Entries to our composing competition will be performed at the Final, with feedback and advice on composing from judge Ewan Campbell - further details.
Young Composers' Concert
Sunday 2 November, 7pm
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
A fun concert by the Dr K Sextet presenting some recent compositions, including winning entries to this year's Cambridge Young Composer of the Year Competition as well as a specially commissioned piece by last year's Cambridge Young Composer of the Year, 14-year-old William Harmer. Further details.
Composing competition
The Cambridge Young Composer of the Year competition - now in its 10th year - is run jointly with Cambridge University Faculty of Music. We are very pleased to be working with the Dr K Sextet a group of young professional musicians, passionate about contemporary music, who will be performing the entries to the competition.
Competition Brief
Entrants are invited to write a piece of music inspired by the University Festival of Ideas 2014 theme, Identity. Your submitted piece should have a maximum performance length of 5 minutes. The instruments available for this year’s competition are listed below.
Flute (inc alto/piccolo)
Clarinet (A, B flat, E flat, or bass)
Percussion
To be chosen from:
Vibraphone
Glockenspiel
2 bongos
2 toms
Orchestral bass drum
Tam-Tam
3 suspended cymbals
Triangle
(Not all at once - there will only be one percussionist!)
Piano
Violin
Cello
Compositions may be written for any combination of the above instruments but entrants must write for at least two or more of the instruments in bold. (Please note - to enable us to perform entries at the competition final, pieces should include no more than one of each instrument listed). The competition rules and entry form can be downloaded via the link in the right hand column of this page.
Information and guidance
Composer and competition judge Ewan Campbell has provided some guidance for those entering the competition:
Introduction to chords
Different scales and composers who have used them
Ranges of the competition instruments
Guide on Wikipedia to musical symbols
If you have problems or a query about your composition, Ewan Campbell may be able to help. Email him at: ewan_a_campbell@yahoo.co.uk - please be patient as he may not be able to answer immediately.
Selections from the entries will be performed at the Final on Sunday 2 November, 2014 (2.30pm-5.30pm) in West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge as part of the University of Cambridge Festival of Ideas. Composers will be given verbal and written feedback on their work. There will be a class winner and ‘Highly Commended’ awards for each age group.
One of the three age group winners will be chosen as the overall winner of the competition and the Cambridge Young Composer of the Year 2014-15. The winner will receive:
- the Young Composer of the Year cup
- a cash prize of £50
- an invitation to compose a new piece to be given a public perfomance at a future date
Entering the competition
Competitors must either live in Cambridgeshire (excluding Peterborough) or study full-time at a school, 6th Form or further education college in the county. Competitors must be 17 years of age or under on 31st August 2014 and entries will be judged in three age groups.
Compositions must arrive by Monday 6 October 2014, together with a completed entry form. Compositions should be delivered to Cambridge Youth Music, 11 Sadlers Close, Coton, Cambridge CB23 7PF.
Download a full copy of the submission details, rules and entry form.
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