Arthur Togneri and Ian Crawford Win the 2025 Sir David Willcocks Carol Composer Competition

 

Arthur Togneri (lef), Ian Crawford (right)

Photo from Bach Choir website at https://thebachchoir.org.uk/carol-composer-competition/

Arthur Togneri and Ian Crawford Win the 2025 Sir David Willcocks Carol Composer Competition

The Bach Choir announced that Arthur Togneri has won the 2025 Sir David Willcocks Carol Composer Competition 17-and-under. The Choir also announced that Ian Crawford has won the competition for 18-and-over.

Per the Choir's website:

Arthur Togneri is a British composer, organist, and pianist. He studies composition at The Purcell School of Music.

Arthur’s carol, The Winds of Winter, is about longing for the warmth of summer in the cold of winter. He uses word painting in the instrumentation to accentuate the text by Emily Huntington Miller. The piece ends with an unresolved chord – the lingering harmony longs for the warmth of summer, which is just out of reach. 

Regarding Crawford the Choir's Website states:

Ian Crawford is a composer, conductor, and music teacher based in London and the North West.

Ian’s carol, Adam lay ybounden, is a new setting of the well-known 15th-century text which relates to the events of the Book of Genesis. The piece reflects the journey of the text it’s based on, which moves from anger and incredulity at its opening through to joy and delight at its conclusion. 

Every year, the judges reads like a who's who list. This year they included: David Hill MBE, Sir John Rutter, Errollyn Wallen, Joanna Marsh and Jonathan Willcocks.

The judges shortlist included:

• Iain Carnegie, UK – Hoseanna 
• Isaac Lovdahl, USA – Wilt Thou Be Strong
• Eilir Owen Griffiths, UK – Puer Natus in Bethlehem
• Andrew Crookall, UK – Sing and Rejoice
• Donald Wetherick, UK – Love Came Down (A Christmas Lullaby)

The 17-and-under shortlist:

• Ernest Chui, UK – A Tender Shoot

Every year, The Bach Choir performs the winning carols at Carols at Cadogan.

Find more information at:  https://thebachchoir.org.uk/carol-composer-competition/

Clementine Dawson, Clive Osgood, and Barabara Steadman-Allen Win the Sir David Willcocks Carol Competition

Clementine Dawson, Clive Osgood, and Barabara Steadman-Allen Win the Sir David Willcocks Carol Competition

    After receiving one-hundred and eleven (111) entries, the David Willcocks Carol Competition, which is sponsored by The Bach Choir (London), announced the winners. 

    First, the competition was judged this year by Cheryl Francis-Hoad, Charlotte Harding, Carmen Ho, and The Bach Choir's director David Hill.

17-and-under

    The 17-and-under winner was Clementine Dawson who used the poem by Walter de la Mare "Alone." She's a viola player and plays with several orchestras.

18-and-over joint winners were

    Clive Osgood for this "Hodie Christus Natus Est," for eight-part choir "using music in dance-like seven time." Osgood is "a composer, accompanist, organ and music teacher living" in the Haslemere, Surrey area. Osgood is "Director of Music and Organist at the Parish Church of St Bartholomew’s in Haslemere, and teaches A-Level Music at Reed’s School, Cobham."

    Barabara Steadman-Allen won for her "Good Festival of Christian Cheer," which is also described as having "dance-like characteristics." The announcement says Steadman-Allen has sung in choirs her entire life and is also a trombone player. She is retired, but previously worked as a Anglican Vicar and secondary school music teacher.

    On the competition's shortlist is below. The announcement encourages ensembles to get into touch with these composers to perform these pieces:

"In addition to our three winners, our judges picked out three other carols which made their final shortlist. They’re listed below including the scores. Do get in touch with the composers if you’d be interested in performing these works, as they’d love to hear from you – their email addresses are listed."

Jenni Pinnock – Descends the Snow – see the score here and get in touch with Jenni here

John Smith – Qui Creavit Caelum – see the score here and get in touch with John here

John Whittaker – The Journey – see the score here and get in touch with John here.

Source: https://thebachchoir.org.uk/carol-composer-competition/

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