This is a past event
The University of Aberdeen Music Prize, a collaboration between the University of Aberdeen and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, has earned a reputation as one of the most prestigious contemporary composition prizes across the globe.
The biennial University of Aberdeen Music Prize is the brainchild of Professor Paul Mealor, Professor of Composition at the University of Aberdeen, whose work ‘Ubi caritas’ was premiered at the marriage of the Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Five finalists have been selected for the 2011/2012 competition, run in collaboration with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO), which will allow the winning composer to bring their music to a worldwide audience.
Much is at stake as the winning composer will receive a prize of £5000 in the form of a commission to write a new piece for the BBC SSO which will subsequently be broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
Under the patronage of Dame Evelyn Glennie, the University of Aberdeen Music Prize competition forms the centrepiece of a wider celebration of contemporary musical creativity in the form of a weekend of hands-on events, workshops and concerts held in Aberdeen in November in association with the sound festival of contemporary music.
This will culminate in a concert at Aberdeen’s Cowdray Hall where the winner will be announced.
Finalists were selected by a panel of experts from more than 300 entries from across the globe, as far as New Zealand, Japan, USA and China. The finalists are:
Azusa Yomogida (Japan) Autana III
Marc Garcia Victoria (Spain) Plastic Trio
Shai Cohen (Israel) Circles of Time
Zvonimir Nagy (USA) Ayres
Christophe Looten (France) Quintet
Since it was first launched, this search for creative talent has helped to develop Aberdeen's role as one of the major cultural centres in the UK. Hundreds of composers from every corner of the globe embraced the competition, many of whom wrote to us to express their gratitude that such an event exists.
We are also honoured to have such a well-respected and world-renowned composer, Professor Julian Anderson, as our 2011 judge and, in the BBC SSO we have a body of musicians that understand the techniques of modern music better than anyone.
The Music Prize links in with the Aberdeen sound festival of new music which will take place over the same weekend (4 to 6 November).
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