StAnza - Poetry in Concert

StAnza: Scotland's International Poetry Festival, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the University of St Andrews are delighted to announce the winners of the composition competition, held to celebrate the work of acclaimed Scottish Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean (1911 - 1996)

The competition was open to all composers under the age of 30 and resident in the UK. Entrants were required to set to music (in English translation) one of three selected poems by Sorley MacLean: An Autumn Day, Dogs and Wolves, and Under Sail for the University of St Andrews Chamber Orchestra, three SCO soloists (Alison Mitchell, Jane Atkins, Sharron Griffiths) and Soprano Lesley-Jane Rogers.

The three winning pieces were performed as part of StAnza 2011 on Sunday 20 March at The Byre Theatre, St Andrews.

Hear the winning pieces

The pieces are featured in a special BBC Radio programme. Click here for details

Winners

Elisabeth Cowe studie cello at Napier University and gained a Masters in Composition at the University of Edinburgh in 2010. She is currently working on a number of compositional projects and enjoying playing in a trio with two flautists. She said: ‘I was so pleased to hear that I had been selected as a winner in the StAnza competition. I am really looking forward to the concert and hearing my piece performed.'

Matthew Oglesby is a young composer based in Leeds. ‘Having come to orchestral writing after several years simply as a choral composer,’ he says, ‘I'm pretty shocked to find that I will actually have the opportunity to hear my work rehearsed and performed this year. I'm already grateful to the folks at SCO for their input and help so far, and I also look forward to working with the St. Andrews University Chamber Orchestra in the run up to the March performance.’

Lliam Paterson studied piano, horn and composition at Aberdeen City Music School and St. Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh, before starting studies in Music at Cambridge University (Fitzwilliam College) in 2009. He said: ‘Opportunities for young composers to have their works performed by world-class musicians are quite rare, so I'm very excited about having my song performed by the

musicians and Lesley-Jane Rogers. As an admirer of Sorley MacLean's poetry, I'm proud that my work will form part of his centenary celebrations - it is a chance to honour a great Scottish creative mind.'

All three winning pieces were performed as part of a concert at StAnza on Sunday 20 March at the Byre Theatre, St Andrews. For more information click here

Please direct any queries to Lucy Lowe

This competition was run in association with

The Sorley MacLean Trust

Carcanet Press