Forgive the spoof Prom Number but the concert tonight before the official NYO concert by members of the Aurora Orchestra, with and without their conductor Nicholas Collon was a very hopeful sign of the healthy state of future composition we have to look forward to. The variety of sound worlds was fascinating and I wish all of the finalists the very best of luck. It was interesting to note how many of the finalists came from the West Country. Is it something in the water or certain schools are better at encouraging composition as part of their curriculum? The winners made good use of humour but all of the finalists had something intersting to offer.
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Searching for some detail about this concert, I'm interested that the BBC doesn't seem to feel it worth crediting the composers whose works are to be broadcast on August 12th. Why not? If they were hot shot young players or singers, there would be mug shots, biographies, interviews blah, blah...
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Here is my own brief resume of what I heard and read in the programme notes in the order of playing:
Michael Brailey:PROKINGRASS Michael is of West Country origin and a fan of Gabriel Prokofiev's 2nd String Quartet (which features on the CD cover a picture of G Prokofiev sitting in long grass ) hence the strange title. Very atmospheric string quartet, (Highly commended Junior)
Henry Tozer: CLEARING MISTS Henry claims influence by Messiaen and Carter. This was a striking piece for solo piano written he says once he relaxed and stopped trying to use formal modern conventions. Another West Country composer. (Highly commended Senior)
Owain Park: FULL MOON AND LITTLE FRIEDA Alumni of Wells Cathedral School. A very imaginative setting of Ted Hughes' poem. Wandered from chord to chord whilst sharing notes. (Highly commended Senior)
Susana Gomez Vazquez: QUIEN ES' Purcell School and JRAM. Mysterious sound world setting of Federico Garcia Lorca for Voice, oboe and Piano. Explored all sorts of oral sounds (Highly commended Senior)
Sylvia Lim: MUSIC FOR THE STATION CONCOURSE GSMD student. Highly imaginative impressions of the people at Liverpool and Broadgate Stations for pitched and unpitched percussion. (Highly commende senior)
Rob Jones: CONTEMPLATION CHASE Saxophone player from Newbury. Tuned percussion and piano piece where ideas chase each other at first fast and then slowly (Highly commended senior)
Eva Barnsley: SO MANY PEOPLE Young singer from Cardiff, sang and accompanied herself on Guitar song about different ways of achievement. (Highly commended Junior)
Daniel Evans: ANONYMOUS D From Bristol. The ensemble's playing revolved around the note D. Two movements: one abbrasive, the other gentle. (Highly commended Junior)
Jack Sheen: AVIARIESAbout to go to RNCM and Manchester UNI. One of the resident young composers for the NYO. Beautiful two movement string quartet about birds taking flight. Hardly any influence of Messiaen!! (Winner Senior)
Yuanfan Yang: WAVES Chetham's School. Piano piece about different impressions of waves: begins with gentle ripples, leading to storms and then tsunami. A touch Debussian. (Highly commended Junior)
George Rimmer: ARKANSAS CHUGGABUG 8 From South Manchester attends JRNCM. As the conductor Nicholas Collon remarked: "I wonder if there are seven other Arkansas Chuggabugs?" A very successful attempt at producing music to suit the cartoon series "Whacky Races"....'fast, raucous and racy' as the composer said and very funny too. Carl W. Stalling, Mack David & Jerry Livingston (composers of Bugs Bunny) and Scott Bradley (Tom and Jerry) eat your hearts out. (Winner Junior)
Hannah Dilkes 'BONGALOO' AND 'NING NANG NONG' From Surrey, about to go to Trinity Laban Conservatoire. Written for a large ensemble hilarious settings of two Spike Milligan poems with an acknowledged tribute paid to Walton's 'Facade' but the musicians sometime narrate with the speaker. The music is more modern and imaginative than Walton's IMHO. (Winner, Senior)
There did appear to be two senior winners.Comment
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Terrific - thanks. Interesting choice of conservatoires from the senior two winners.Comment
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