Inspire - Young Composers Competition

The BBC Proms Inspire scheme is for budding composers aged 12 to 18 who want to write their own music. The scheme provides you with a friendly environment to share ideas, participate in workshops, meet other young composers and develop your musical creativity. Best of all, it's all free! The BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers' Competition offers winners an unrivalled opportunity to have your music played by professional musicians at the BBC Proms and broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

INSPIRE 2012 - What is the Inspire scheme?

COMPOSER LABS  - Join professional composers and musicians across the country at an Inspire Composer Lab.

COMPETITION - Find out how to take part in the 2012 BBC Proms Young Composers' Competition.

INSPIRE JUDGES - Find out who’s judging this years competition.

2011 WINNERS - Congratulations to the winners and highly commended of the 2011 Young Composers' Competition. Listen to the winning pieces from 2011.

Inspire 2012

"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
    John Cage, Composer, 1912 - 1992

 

Introduction

Now in its fourteenth year, the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers' Competition provides a platform for budding composers aged 12 to 18 years old across the UK, providing what most composers only dream of - the chance to have their music played by professional musicians, performed at the BBC Proms and broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Best of all, it’s all free! Enter the competition and see where it takes you.

You can also participate in our nationwide Inspire Labs running from February – April 2012. Composer Labs are free and offer you the chance to have professional musicians play your music and get expert advice from leading composers in a day of music making, exploration and discovery. Attending a Lab is a great way to give you an inspirational kick start if you’re thinking of entering our Young Composers competition or just want to try composing for the first time.

"Having attended one of the Composer Labs, where I thoroughly enjoyed a day of exploring music making, I decided to enter a piece... Hearing  my piece played by professional musicians has been the best experience of my life so far. I'm now tremendously  excited about the mentor scheme that accompanies the commission; there is simply nowhere else a young composer can gain access to such fantastic opportunities."

   George Rimmer, Inspire Young Composers Competition Winner 2011.

    Find out how to enter the competition

    Find out about Inspire Composer Labs

For further information about the BBC Proms Young Composers' competition please contact
promslearning@bbc.co.uk or call 020 7765 0643

Composer Labs

Have you thought about composing your own music but never actually started playing or writing down ideas? Are you already a keen composer looking to share your ideas and discover new ones? Are you studying composition and would you like advice on your work from a professional?

Composer Labs are free and offer you the chance to have professional musicians play your music and get expert advice from leading composers in a day of music making, exploration and discovery. Bring your instrument, your latest idea’s, a rhythm, a melody, a finished work or just a friend. Try things out and question the experts.

Attending a lab is a great way to give you an inspirational kick start if you’re thinking of entering our Young Composers competition or just want to try composing for the first time! Anyone who has new ideas and wants to express them through music can call themselves a composer. If this sounds like you and you are aged 12–18 then get involved at a Composer Lab near you. 

London
BBC Maida Vale Studios, Delaware Road, London W9 2LG
25 February 2012, 10.30am to 4.30pm
In partnership with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Singers

Birmingham
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, CBSO Centre, Berkley Street, Birmingham, B1 2LF, UK
11 March, 10.30am – 4.30pm
In partnership with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and BBC Singers

Belfast
Music Department, St. Malachy’s College, 36 Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 2AE
24 March 2012, 10.30am – 4.30pm
In partnership with Ulster Orchestra and BBC Singers

Manchester - This event is now fully subscribed. If you would like to go on the waiting list please sign up and we will get back to you if a place becomes available.
The Studios, MediaCityUK, Salford, M50 2BH
25 March 2012, 10.30am to 4.30pm
In partnership with the BBC Philharmonic and the BBC Singers

Glasgow
Glasgow City Halls, Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1NQ
1 April 2012, 10.30am to 4.30pm
In partnership with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Singers

Cardiff
BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff CF10 5AL
28 April 2012, 10.30am to 4.30pm
In partnership with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the BBC Singers

How do I attend?

Please complete the online form to sign up for a BBC Proms Composer Lab.

Be sure to select the event you want to attend from in the 'Name of Event' space on the form. (This form can also used to apply for other BBC Orchestras and Singers Learning Events)

Places are limited so do book early.

For further information, please contact promslearning@bbc.co.uk or call 020 7765 0643.

You may also be interested in
Sound and Music who are hosting a Summer school for young composers in 2012. Find out more.

 

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2012 blog, written by Clemency Burton-Hill. Read the blog.

 

2011 Winners

Congratulations to the winners and highly commended of 2011 competition.

Junior category: (12-16)

Winners
George Rimmer from Manchester - Arkansas Chuggabug 8

Highly Commended
Michael Brailey – Prokingrass
Daniel Evans - String Quartet
Susana Gomez Vazquez - Quien Es?
Yuanfan Yang – Waves
Eva Barnsley - So Many People

Senior category: (17-18)

Winners
Hannah Dilkes from Surrey - Two Nonsenses: Bongaloo
Jack Sheen from Stockport - Aviaries

Highly Commended
Sylvia Lim - Music for the Station Concourse
Henry Tozer - Clearing Mists
Rob Jones - Contemplation: Chase
James Albany Hoyle - Sinfonia Brevis
Owain Park - Full Moon and Little Frieda


Listen out for:
The 2011 winners are busy writing a piece for live Radio 3 broadcast to be performed by the Aurora Orchestra. Tune into 90 – 93fm on 13 March 2012 to hear them! Who knows where your commission will take you?