Applications Closing for the Southbank Sinfonia's Composition Competition

The competition challenges UK composers under the age of 25 to write a short overture

London's Southbank Sinfonia has come together with the Arts Institute at the University of Plymouth to offer a composition competition for young UK-based composers.

The competition requires applicants to submit an overture of 5-7 minutes, with an orchestration of six first violins, five second violins, four violas, four cellos, two basses, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets (no doublings) and timpani.

Applications are closing on December 21, 2022, which you can find more about, here.

Since the competition is hosted in Plymouth, applicants should aim to find some way to refer to or depict the city in their writing.

The winner will get the chance to hear the Southbank Sinfonia perform their piece live, in a Musica Viva concert conducted by Mark Forkgen on February 4, 2023. They will also receive a cash prize of £500. Also on the program for that concert are two works by Beethoven: his fourth piano concerto and his seventh symphony.

Founded in 2002, the Southbank Sinfonia is a springboard program that prepares music graduates to audition for orchestral positions. Each year, it offers a fellowship to 33 young orchestral players, allowing them to work in an environment that closely resembles that of a professional orchestra.