RPS Composition Prize

Wednesday 29 July 2015

Photo: Dani Howard (c) Andreea Tufescu Photography

The Royal College of Music is delighted to announce that three recent RCM alumni have been selected as recipients of the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Prize for Young Composers. 

Hunter Coblentz, Dani Howard and Michael Taplin graduated from the RCM in July 2015 and the awarding of these prizes signifies a flourishing start to their post-RCM careers. Hunter, who begins as composer-in-residence at Handel House in September 2015, has received a commission for a chamber work to be performed at Cheltenham Festival 2016, while Dani has been commissioned to write a work for professional performance in 2016. Michael’s commission is also for a chamber work, which is to be performed as part of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s Music of Today 2016. 

William Mival, Head of Composition, said “I am delighted that three RCM composers have triumphed in the prestigious and high-profile Royal Philharmonic Society Awards for Young Composers. This tops a series of already impressive achievements for each of these composers and for the RCM Composition Faculty as a whole. It is thrilling and gratifying to see these prestigious awards going to recent RCM graduates.” 

The three composers were selected amid fierce competition by renowned composers Unsuk Chin, Sally Beamish and Andrew Kurowksi. They follow in the footsteps of RCM composers Arne Gieshoff and Nick Morrish Rarity, each awarded the prize in 2012 and 2014 respectively. 

Please visit the RPS website for further details on the Young Composers Prize and its current recipients.