Liverpool Philharmonic’s Rushworth Composition Prize

Alex Papp winner of the Liverpool Philharmonic’s
2020 Rushworth Composition Prize

The Liverpool Philharmonic's Rushworth Composition Prize is now open for applications. The prize is open to early career composers, age 18 or over, who currently live, work or were born in the North West of England (Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria), or or are a student at a Northwest-based Higher Education institution. The competition represents not only a chance to write for one of the Liverpool Philharmonic's ensembles but to develop a relationship with the Liverpool Philharmonic; all of the previous Prize winners continue to work with Liverpool Philharmonic after their year has ended, and benefit from continued support, guidance and commission opportunities.

The winner of the prize will be received a cash prize, be commissioned to write a work for the Ensemble 10/10 (Liverpool Philharmonic’s contemporary music group) which will be performed in autumn 2022, and receive one year’s complimentary membership to The Ivors Academy (This is the UK’s leading professional association for music creators). The winner will also take part in a programme of workshops, masterclasses and mentoring sessions from composers, performers, conductors and other industry professionals associated with Liverpool Philharmonic, as well as a bespoke programme of activities and additional opportunities to produce new works and commissions for Liverpool Philharmonic and its associated ensembles.  

The composition prize was launched in 2015 (as the Christopher Brooks Composition Prize) and is currently supported by the Rushworth Foundation. Previous winners are Alex Papp (2020), Athanasia Kontou (2019), Carmel Smickersgill (2018), Grace Evangeline-Mason (2017), Richard Miller (2016) and Bethany Morgan-Williams (2015).

Further information from the Liverpool Philharmonic's website, applications are open until 30 June 2021.