London Oriana Choir launches competition for young women composers

The Sirens' Voice: Magnificent Women
London Oriana Choir, Dominic Ellis-Peckham
at the Cutty Sark, 21st June 2018
(Photo Kathleen Holman)

London Oriana Choir launched its five15 project in 2016, focussing on women composers and having a female composer-in-residence each year. The current composer in residence is Jessica Curry, with previous ones being Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Rebecca Dale. Now the choir, artistic director Dominic Ellis-Peckham, is launching a competition to look for the fourth composer in residence, with the winner being commissioned to write three new pieces for the choir to be performed during the 2019/20 season.

The competition is open to all women aged between 18 and 25, and the winner will receive three paid commissions: two five-minute pieces for unaccompanied choir and one ten-minute piece with orchestral accompaniment to be delivered over the year and to have those pieces performed in public by the choir during the residency. The pieces will also be published in the choir’s anthology of all 15 pieces to be released at the end of the project.

Entrants are asked to submit a piece of mixed-voice choral music up to five minutes long by the closing date of 8th March 2019. Entries will be judged by a panel which includes composer Cecilia McDowall, conductor and educationalist Suzi Digby, Tim Brooke, head of Repertoire Development at Faber Music Ltd and the choir’s Music Director Dominic Ellis-Peckham. The four finalists will have their works performed in public in the choir’s summer concert in July and the winner announced. Full details of the competition entry requirements and terms can be found at the competition website.