Young Composers' Competition
We’ve got some exciting news!
We have launched the 2027 Elgar Festival Young Composers’ Competition, and we want your entries!
This is a fabulous opportunity for young composers to have their music played at the 2027 festival at the end of May; perfect for students studying GCSE or A Level music or for any young entrepreneurial composers out there!
The inspiration for your entries should be taken from the salon music of Elgar, for example, Chanson de Matin, Chanson D’Amour. You must have a lyrical melody embedded in your piece.
Entry age groups are as follows:
Age up to 14:
Compose a trio for strings using any combination of instruments from a standard string quartet.
It should be 2-4 minutes long and in any style.
Age 14 – 18:
Compose a string quartet.
It should be 4 – 5 minutes long and in any style.
How to submit:
- Scores should be submitted in PDF format and recordings in MP3, M4a or Wav formats.
- All compositions must be clearly labelled with name, age, a contact address and email address.
- Submissions should be made via the competition page on the Elgar Festival website.
- This information and updates can also be found on the Elgar Festival website.
The deadline is Friday 25th March 2027; submissions will be judged by the festival’s featured composer Adrian Williams.
Kenneth Woods, our Artistic Director said: “We are delighted to launch this fantastic competition as part of the 2027 festival. Encouraging our young composers to help us celebrate the life and works of Worcestershire’s most famous composer not only adds a new and vibrant element to the festival but also highlights the talent of future musicians. We look forward to receiving entries!”
The winning compositions will be performed by ESO String players at the ‘Elgar for Everyone’ concert in Worcester Cathedral on Thursday 3 June 2027. The winning young composers will receive their certificate at this concert from Adrian Williams. The winners will also be invited to attend the rehearsal of their pieces earlier in the day.
Last year’s winners were unanimously announced as Luca Newman and Samuel Hunt.
