Biennially the Michael Hurd Fund for Young Musicians hosts The Festival of Young Composers competition. The 2025 – 2026 competition will be announced in early 2025.
How it works
Works are performed to an adjudicating panel at a public performance, and selected winning compositions may be performed in a Youth Concert during the festival. Entrants may present their music either through a live performance (Category A) or as a digital recording (Category B). In either category, entrants must submit a written or printed score by the closing date and attend the Performance and Adjudication Day when their composition will be played.
The competition is divided into three age classes for each of the two categories of live performance or digital recording. First and runner-up prizes are awarded in the three live performance age groups and first prizes are awarded in the digital performance age groups.
Entry to the competition can be made by musicians of 19 years and under, who live or attend school or college within the whole of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, or within 25 miles of Petersfield.
Read on about how to apply.
Articles
Petersfield Festival of Young Composers showcases new talent (February 2024)
Calling Young Creatives (October 2023).
The following points apply to both categories
- There is a closing date for all entries to be in the hands of the Administrator (Louise Douglas, 143 Borough Rd, Petersfield, GU32 3LP). The next one has’t been set as yet. Download and complete an entry form and send it to her via info@petersfieldmusicalfestival.org.uk.
- Scores should include details of the duration of the piece, including metronome and tempo indications. Pieces which exceed the maximum time may be disqualified.
- Vocal compositions may use words by the composer or from any other source. The quality of the words will not form part of the assessment.
- The adjudicating panel will be made up of three experienced musical experts.
- All entrants will receive written and spoken adjudications at the Performance and Adjudication Day. Prizes will be awarded at the adjudicators’ discretion. Their decisions are final and no further discussion will be entered into.
- The composer and a guarantor (teacher, parent or guardian) must sign to confirm that the composition is the entrant’s original and unaided work. This does not exclude general guidance such as might be given during composition lessons or in the preparation of a composition for a public examination.
- To comply with the objectives of the Michael Hurd Fund for Young Musicians, prize winners will be required to account for their use of the prize money in furthering their musical studies.
Category A with live performance
Age 14 and under on 4 Dec 2023:
Composition time limit under 4 minutes
First Prize £100
Runner up £50
Age 17 and under on 4 Dec 2023:
Composition time limit under 5 minutes
First Prize £150
Runner up £75
Age 19 and under on 4 Dec 2023:
Composition time limit under 6 minutes
First Prize £200
Runner up £100
Conditions for category A
- All entries must be accompanied by a written, printed or digital copy of the score. Entries may optionally include a CD or audio file of a performance. Scores which are not fully notated, such as lead sheets, may be submitted, subject to these conditions and guidelines. The writing down of the composition, whether in manuscript or using a score-writing program, must be the composer’s own work.
- All compositions in this category must be played and/or sung live at the Performance and Adjudication Day (date to be confirmed). Composers are responsible for providing players and/or singers, and any instruments other than piano. A piano will be available at the venue. The quality of the live performance will not be one of the criteria for assessment but the performance should display the effectiveness of the composition. Any improvisation or partially notated parts must be performed or directed by the composer. The use of backing tracks is not allowed.
- Compositions may use any combination of voices and instruments for up to twelve performers.
- All entries will be evaluated using the same criteria. These will include technical knowledge appropriate to the style (notation, structure, harmony etc.); idiomatic, resourceful and appropriate use of instruments and/or voices; quality of written presentation; creativity and imagination; effectiveness in performance.
- Selected winning compositions will be performed at a Youth Concert during the Petersfield Musical Festival in March 2024.
Category B with score and recorded submission
Age 14 and under on 4 Dec 2023:
Composition time limit under 4 minutes
First Prize £50
Age 17 and under on 4 Dec 2023:
Composition time limit under 5 minutes
First Prize £75
Age 19 and under on 4 Dec 2023:
Composition time limit under 6 minutes
First Prize £100
Conditions for category B
- All entries must be accompanied by a written, printed or digital copy of the score and must include a CD or audio file of a performance. Scores which are not fully notated, such as lead sheets, may be submitted, subject to these conditions and guidelines. The writing down of the composition, whether in manuscript or using a score-writing program, must be the composer’s own work.
- Entrants must attend the Performance and Adjudication Day (date to be confirmed) when the recording of their composition will be played.
- All entries will be evaluated using the same criteria. These will include technical knowledge appropriate to the style (notation, structure, harmony etc.); idiomatic, resourceful and appropriate use of instruments and/or voices; quality of written presentation; creativity and imagination.
Review of the Festival of Young Composers 2021 – 2022
There was plenty of creative talent on show at the seventh Young Composers’ Competition run by the Petersfield Musical Festival in association with The Michael Hurd Fund for Young Musicians. Musical entries ranged from a movement for solo piano to a full string quartet.
The winner in the under-14 category (recorded performance) was Thomas Mann with a piano sonata called The Monster Wakes Up, Thomas was praised by the judges for the narrative flow, drama and playability of his piece.
Certificates of Merit were awarded to Simon Lloyd for Squirrels, work for trumpet and piano, and Thomas Bagshaw for his March for Trombones and Timpani.
Shoshana Yugin-Power gave an assured and convincing performance of her extremely imaginative piece for solo flute (with piano accompaniment) called Elemental Electrons. The work ingeniously combined her love of music and science, with each of the short sections evoking a chemical element from the periodic table – ‘a genius idea’ in the words of one of the judges.
The first prize in the 17 years and under section was a very accomplished string quartet by Laurence Horwood. Appropriately named Exultant, the work was highly idiomatic, based on a classical model. The piece was performed to a high standard by Laurence’s fellow students from Churcher’s College. The judges praised Laurence’s use of colour, texture and natural capacity to write for stringed instruments, as well as his ability to share thematic material between all four instruments.
William Hammond’s evocative piece for solo piano, The Onset of Winter, was awarded second prize in the 17 years and under section, and was praised for its unified style, pianistic virtuosity and poignant opening.
This year’s judges were Jonathan Willcocks, composer and conductor and president of the festival; Dr Jill Jarman, composer and lecturer at Chichester University; and Philip Young, chairman of the festival and former director of studies at Bedales School.
‘Every composer is a winner,’ said Philip Young, emphasizing the challenges of creating music. He congratulated all the entrants for their originality and imagination.
Here’s what previous entrants say about the influence of the competition on their musical development
“Winning the Petersfield Festival of Young Composers was an extremely influential experience in my early development as a musician, and the opportunity to submit and perform my composition in front of such an esteemed panel of judges was an immense privilege. There is no doubt in my mind that winning the competition helped to mould me into the musician I am today.”
Tim Braithwaite (Prize winner 2010)
At age 9 Shoshana was surprised and excited to be selected to present her work to the adjudicators, and amazed to win her category. This was the motivation for her to continue to compose, and in 2020 she was one of 15 composers to win the BBC ’30 second Composition Challenge’ as part of the ‘Proms at Home’ season. Most recently, aged 14, she was a finalist in The National Centre for Early Music and BBC Radio 3 competition to create a new work for the recorder quartet Palisander.
Shoshana Yugin-Power (Prize winner 2016)
“The Fund provided me with the opportunity to get expert feedback, to have my music performed to a whole new audience and enabled me to purchase new audio equipment, which has allowed me to explore my interest in electro-acoustic composition and broaden my musical style in new and exciting ways. I am delighted to now be working as a professional composer”.
Thomas Baynes (Prize winner 2018)
