Organisers of a major UK brass band festival which has taken place in Shropshire every summer for the last eleven years have launched a competition to find the best young composer of brass band music for 2015.
As a result of continued sponsorship support from Shropshire based Estate Agents and Valuers, Nock Deighton, the competition will be staged for the third year running, ahead of the Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival which will take place on 11th and 12th July 2015 at the Museum of Iron in Coalbrookdale.
Eric Peagam of the Ironbridge Brass Band Festival committee said: “Thanks once more to the generosity of the competition sponsors we are now accepting entries for The Nock Deighton Challenge for Young Composers 2015 and all young composers under the age of 21 are invited to submit their own composition, in any genre or style as long as it is fully scored for brass band.”
The 2014 competition was won by 17 year-old Daniel Hall who has since gone on to be selected for the composition team at the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Daniel’s winning piece, ‘Invaders from the North’, was played at the 2014 Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival by the Championship section Jaguar Landrover Band.
“Entries for the 2015 competition do not have to have been specifically composed for The Nock Deighton Challenge”, says Mr Peagam, “but can include pieces prepared as part of school or university programmes, provided that they have not been previously published. The panel will make judgements based on the score but if in addition a midi file is available, this will also be considered.
“Entry to the competition is free and all entries that meet the set criteria will be recognised with a token reward of £10. Winners of the first and second prizes will receive £100 and £50 respectively, along with the considerable kudos enjoyed by our previous winners. Other prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the judges.”
Full details of the competition together with entry forms and further information can be obtained by emailing ericpeagam@aol.com or downloaded from the Festival website at www.ironbridgebandfestival.co.uk. Entries must be submitted by 31st March 2015.