I had a wonderful afternoon meeting a few young composers who had entered the Watford Music and Drama Festival Composition Class of 2014. There is always a buzz when you’re about to hear a piece performed for the first time, and it was pleasing to hear live performances of the works for the most part. I was struck my the imagination and ingenuity of these young composers; bravely working with programmatic titles and experimenting with sonorities to tell a story. One entry was a guitar quartet, and this was received particularly well by the audience.
I don’t see adjudication as just about prize giving: it is chance to celebrate the successes and also suggest ways forward for the future. Bravo to all the four entries! I do encourage anyone looking for an outlet for their students compositions – regardless of length, instrumentation, style – to consider entering for the Watford Festival 2015. I won’t be adjudicating next year, but wish all those who enter well.
See here for information: http://www.watfordfestival.co.uk/festival/pages/Composition_Classes_2014/
Steven Berryman 