Three Choirs Festival Hereford Launches Composition Competition

Three Choirs Festival Hereford Launches Composition Competition
The Three Choirs Festival has launched a new choral composition competition  in association with Novello Publishers and Hereford Cathedral Voluntary Choir (HCVC). Circulating between the three cities of Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester, the Three Choirs Festival is the oldest non-competitive classical music festival in the world and has continued to attract fantastic audiences for three-hundred years. This year, to celebrate its 300th anniversary, we are inviting young composers of 30 years and under to submit a short setting of a sacred text to be performed as the introit at the festival's choral evensong.

A shortlisted selection of compositions will be rehearsed and performed by the HCVC and their conductor, Peter Dyke. Having been rehearsed in a day-long workshop (April 25), a winner will be selected from the shortlist by Peter, the Assistant Director of Music of Hereford Cathedral; Kate Johnson, from Novello; and Professor Paul Mealor of the University of Aberdeen.

The festival provides a spiritual presence at the heart of the nation's cultural life and provides a perfect setting for premiering great new British sacred compositions. The 300th anniversary festival will take place in Hereford July 25 - August 1 2015.

Compositions should:
  • Be written for SATB choir, a cappella or with organ accompaniment.
  • Utilise texts sacred in nature and which are in the public domain.
  • Be able to be rehearsed with limited rehearsal time (15 mins) by a good amateur choir. 

Further details:

The chosen piece will be premiered on St Anne's Day, July 26, which may provide a source of inspiration but is not a requirement of the competition.


Scores should be sent to the Competition Administrator, Stewart Taylor, by email (PDF or Sib. File) to stewart.taylor@3choirs.org or by post to 39 Breinton Road, Hereford, HR40JU.


Deadline: Friday March 20 2015

For more information please contact:

Clare Stevens

Marketing and Media Manager

Three Choirs Festival

7c College Green

Gloucester GL1 2LX

T 01452 768 935

M 07968 367079

clare.stevens@3choirs.org

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