BACKWildKat PR are happy to announce the return of The Berkeley Ensemble to the client roster. The Berkeley Ensemble, a collective of Southbank Sinfonia musicians formed in 2008, have partnered with Resonus Classics to provide an excellent opportunity for composers in Britain. Known for their inspiring performances of British chamber music, their latest competition encourages composers to explore the legacy of the early twentieth-century philanthropist, Walter Willson Cobbett. Cobbett supported the British school of chamber composition, paving the way for Bridge and Turnage to name a few.
The prize of a £500 commission will be awarded to a composer who produces a work that is scored for any combination of instruments drawn from 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano. The composition must be a self-contained movement, that is 8 to 12 minutes in duration. The work must be totally original, having never been performed in public or submitted for another competition.
Up to 16 entrants will be selected to participate in the semi-final masterclass on either 26th October or 9th November. Following this a maximum of 6 works will be performed in front of a panel at the New Cobbett Prize Grand Final at The Forge on Wednesday 10th December 2014. The winners and runners up will have their work recorded for commercial release by the Berkeley Ensemble on the Resonus Classics label in 2015.
As well as the competition, the Berkeley Ensemble will be performing in concerts inspired by Cobbett’s legacy and also supporting a series of composition masterclasses lead by Michael Berkeley and other leading British composers. The details of these concerts are listed below.
Please send entries to Berkeley Ensemble New Cobbett Prize, 36 Durban Road, London SE27 9RP. They must arrive by the 1st September 2014.
To enter the competition you must be 35 or under, a resident in the UK and not currently contracted to a publisher. All entries will be assessed anonymously. For more details and terms of the competition please see the website.
Cobbett’s Legacy I: In the shadow of Brahms
16 September 2014- 7:30pm- The Forge.
Tickets £12 (£10)
Cobbett’s Legacy II: Towards an English music
26 October 2014- 11:00am2:00pm- The Forge
Tickets £12 (£10) (to include tea/coffee)
Composition masterclass: 2pm – 5pm
Free entry to the masterclass with a ticket to the morning concert.
£3 entry for masterclass only
Cobbett’s Legacy III: Modern Britain
9 November 2014- 11:00am-2:00pm- The Forge
Tickets £12 (£10) (to include tea/coffee)
Composition masterclass: 2pm – 5pm
Free entry to the masterclass with a ticket to the morning concert.
£3 entry for masterclass only
New Cobbett Prize Grand Final
10 December 2014- The Forge
Louise Mather