Top Prize for Chets Composer
Posted on July 5, 2010
17 year old Jonathan Woolgar – who had a piece premiered by Manchester Camerata in March this year – is celebrating winning his first major commision.
| Jonathan entered the BBC Young Composers’ Competition 2010 with an original five-minute piece written for clarinet, violin and piano. His winning composition will now be performed during the BBC Proms season and broadcast on BBC Radio 3. But his big prize is a commission for the BBC which could even be performed at the Last Night of the Proms.
Now in its twelfth year, the prestigious BBC Young Composer’s competition attracted hundreds of entries from young composers aged 12 to 18. The prize is what most composers dream of: the chance to have their music played by professional musicians and broadcast on Radio 3 as well as a sought-after commission from the BBC. |
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Jonathan, a student at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, submitted his own piece entitled ‘Dead Sea Scrolls’ and was judged to be one of six winners. Now recognised as one of the best young composers in Britain, he will get to work with leading composers and musicians to develop a new piece of work for the BBC.
Composer Fraser Trainer was one of the competition judges.
He described Jonathan’s entry as “a compelling piece which unearths an array of colours and character from only three instruments and is the sign of a very mature and talented young composer.”
Jonathan was born in 1992 and lives in Pontefract, West Yorkshire. He currently studies at Chetham’s School of Music with Dr Jeremy Pike and Dr Gavin Wayte.
Hear an interview with Jonathan Woolgar talking about his involvement in the Manchester Composer’s Workshop, which saw his piece Asesinato en la Danza showcased by Manchester Camerata on the 13 March 2010 at The Bridgewater Hall.