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Cambridge Young Composer of the Year Competition 2007
 
Edward Southall

   

We are delighted to announce the results of our second annual competition for young Cambridgeshire composers.

Full results are given in the column on the right. The winning work from each age group was performed at a Concert in West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge on Sunday 11 March 2007 – three world premieres!

The Cambridge Young Composer of the Year 2007 is Edward Southall (left), 19, an undergraduate at Queens' College, Cambridge who composed an impressive work for oboe and piano - 'False Lights'. Edward has already made his mark as a composer. In 2003 he was a runner-up in the BBC Proms / Guardian Young Composer Competition and his work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

The winner of the 13-16 age group is Jake Howarth with a work for symphony orchestra entitled 'Winter' which the judges described as "a striking and dramatic piece". Jake, a pupil at Kings School, Ely, deserves special congratulation for achieving success in the competition two years' running - he was last year's overall winner!

The winner of the youngest age group is Karen Christianson, 11, whose piece 'Echoes' for choir, solo voice and piano sets to music words from Anne Frank's diary. It impressed the judges as "a real piece of music, that has been clearly felt, and vividly imagined."

The judges praised the standard of the competition entries. Dr Jeremy Thurlow commented: “Overall, a very exciting, varied and imaginative response this year. There are obviously a lot of talented young musicians in Cambridgeshire!”

Other entries included works for a wide range of combinations including a string quartet, a wind octet, choir, symphony orchestra, a jazz band and more. The age of entrants ranged from 9 to 20. All received written feedback.

Competition judges were: Christopher Brown and Dr Jeremy Thurlow.

 

 

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Competition Results

Cambridge Young Composer of the Year: Edward Southall

Age group 17-20
Winner:
Edward Southall : 'False Lights' for oboe and piano
Highly Commendeds:
Edward Nesbit
Victoria Ayano Royce

Age group 13-16
Winner:
Jake Howarth: 'Winter' for symphony orchestra
Highly Commendeds:
Jake Howarth (2nd entry)
Helen Lilley
Edward Lilley
Xiaotian Shi

Age group up to 12
Winner: 
Karen Christianson: 'Echoes' for choir, solo voice and piano
Highly Commendeds:
Alex Cook
Richard Gowers
Nick White