Five talented composers from around the world have been selected from over 400 entries to go through to the final of the University of Aberdeen Music Prize – the only event of its kind in the world dedicated to finding the composers of the future.
The five finalists have been chosen from South Korea, Russia, Scotland, and England. The Music Prize competition is Aberdeen’s classical answer to ‘Pop Idol’ and aims to encourage creativity and involvement with the arts. The pioneering competition also attracted entries from young composers in Malaysia, China, Portugal, India, Japan, Italy, Germany, Finland, South Africa, and Mexico.
The inaugural award for String Quartet will be presented in April at the end of a weekend of workshops, which runs from Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 1, featuring the short-listed composers and members of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The winning composer will receive a prize of £5,000 and a commission for a full-scale work to be premiered by the BBC SSO and broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
Dr Paul Mealor, Director of the University of Aberdeen Music Prize, and Jennifer Martin, BBC SSO Learning Manager, were tasked with whittling down the 400 entries to just five winners.
The finalists are: Si-Hyun Ji, (36), from South Korea, with composition The Deathly Wind; Vera Ivanova, (28), from Russia, with Song Not Sung; Sungji Hong, (32), from South Korea, with Second String Quartet; Bernard Hughes (31), from England, with Suck it and See; and Paul Newland, (39), from Scotland, with Mie.
Dr Mealor said: “Getting 400 entries down to 5 is probably the hardest thing I personally have had to do, especially as the standard was so extremely high; however, we have managed it, and our five finalists are probably the best young composers working anywhere in the world today!’’
The Music Prize weekend will feature an activity-filled agenda with a fascinating programme of hands-on events including outreach workshops for school pupils and teachers and fun beginners workshops for the public at the ‘Create Studio’. The Music Hall will also host a concert with the BBC SSO, while the University will host an evening concert with University musicians and school pupils.
The University of Aberdeen Music Prize has secured the support of one of the world’s most celebrated musicians and University of Aberdeen Honorary Graduate, Evelyn Glennie, OBE, who has come on board as Patron.
The competition also welcomes two distinguished musicians, Jonathan Harvey and Robert Saxton, who will judge the first award for the best composition for string quartet.