Competition for Young Composers

Wednesday February 28 2024

Canongate Kirk. Picture by Kim Traynor

A new competition is giving young composers of sacred music the chance to have their work performed by professional musicians at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

The Sacred Music Young Composers’ Prize is a new initiative from the Edinburgh Sacred Arts Foundation, which runs the annual Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts. Taking place during the middle week of the Fringe, the festival has been running since 2018. Last year it included a recital in Canongate Kirk in which four young composers were invited to showcase their work.

Building on the success of that recital, the Foundation has established the prize, which is open to composers aged 21 or under who live, work or study in Scotland.

The competition will be judged by a panel headed by Dame Judith Weir, Master of the King’s Music. There are cash prizes for the top three works, and six will be performed at a competition recital on August 15, again in Canongate Kirk.

Pieces can be in any style of music but must be set for choir, or choir with organ or piano. The Foundation has selected four texts that may be used. Composers may submit compositions based on other texts, but must have approval from the Foundation. The closing date for entry is April 1, and completed compositions must be submitted by June 1.

For more details and to enter visit https://www.edinburghsacredartsfestival.org/composers-competition.html

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