Music Composition Competition: Imaginative Delight!

Caterham School music department are delighted to announce the second annual Composition Competition to give pupils the chance to showcase their compositional skills on this year’s theme, ‘A World Apart’ – inspired by the recent Mars landing. We were delighted that Bob Chilcott, an eminent and successful British composer was available to judge the competition again, and we were also pleased that he agreed to become patron of this competition, as well as for a separate prize at the school, ‘The Chilcott Prize’ for Composition. Pupils submitted such an eclectic range of pieces including electronic music, instrumental music, atmospheric orchestral music, experimental music and pop songs.

To see more from Caterham Music’s YouTube Channel click here.

Giving the high level of compositions submitted, someone with Bob’s profile was needed to make the final call; he is one of the country’s leading composers and a household name in schools, churches, cathedrals and community choirs. He was a member of the King’s Singers and principal conductor of the BBC Singers as well as a chorister at King’s College Cambridge. Bob has worked all over the world with some of the finest singers and musicians – to hear such positive comments from him about Caterham School musicians is testament to their talent and hard-work.

Congratulations to all who took the time to produce such excellent and thought-provoking music:

Alex G (Third Year)

Alexander M (First Year)

Aldi H (Upper Sixth)

Alfred D (Prep School)

Alice H (Fourth Year)

Ben W (Third Year)

Isabelle P (Third Year)

Millie B (Second Year)

Rosie B (First Year)

From this list, five pupils were shortlisted: Millie B, Isabelle P, Ben W, Aldi H and Ollie W.

Bob Chilcott, after thorough deliberation and online feedback, announced that Ben W received third place, commenting that his piece entitled ‘Friends’ was ‘clever and imaginative’ in how he scored the vocal line. In second place came Aldi H, with her choral work, ‘Miserere’ which Bob Chilcott said showed a range of ‘very good vocal textures’ and that Aldi was ‘ambitious’ in how it was scored. First place was awarded to, Isabelle’s piece entitled ‘Beyond’: a ‘really fine piece’ of music about which Bob Chilcott commented ‘used clever rhythmic textures’ and that the scoring was ‘well thought out’.

Congratulations to Isabelle, Aldi and Ben and indeed, all our wonderful musicians who entered: an inspiring, creative and impressive way to end the musical year. We would also like to thank Bob for his wonderful words, and we hope to be able to invite him, in person, next year for the third instalment of the competition.