Chorus announces competition shortlist
27 January 2023
The Chorus is pleased to announce the five composers shortlisted for the Stella Jockel Young Composer Competition for young people aged 18 to 35 people with a connection to Sheffield.
The five shortlisted candidates are Mason Birch, Rachel Fright, Robin Morton, James Thomas and Reuben Tozer-Loft.
Candidates were asked to submit a short choral work for a mixed choir to sing unaccompanied in at least four parts. Fourteen young people submitted entries for scrutiny by the panel of judges, from whom five were selected to go forward the the final stage.
“We have been really impressed by the commitment shown by the young composers who submitted their work for the competition” said George Nicholson, Emeritus Professor of Composition at the University of Sheffield, who headed the four-strong panel, “We have enjoyed examining how they interpreted the beautiful text, and the imaginative and interesting variety of styles they have used. The five shortlisted pieces are very different but all show promise – choosing the winners is going to be a difficult task.”
The competition has been organised by Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus in association with Classical Sheffield, as part of the Classical Sheffield Weekend Festival to be held in March 2023, in memory of Stella Jockel, a Sheffield teacher and vicar’s wife who sang alto with the Chorus for over 50 years and whose generous legacy is being used to fund the competition. The text was commissioned from award-winning poet Katharine Towers, who sings in the alto section of Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus; Kathy won the Seamus Heaney Centre Prize for The Floating Man and was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize for The Remedies.
The winning work will be premiered at the Classical Sheffield Weekend Festival finale on Sunday 19 March 2023 in the City Hall, followed by a performance of Mahler’s magnificent 2nd symphony by the combined forces of Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, Hallam Sinfonia, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus and Hallam Choral Society, conducted by George Morton and bringing the 10th anniversary festival to a spectacular close.
Read more about the competition and the shortlisted candidates
To hear the winning piece, buy tickets for the festival finale
Previous News Items
10 November 2022 CLASSICAL MUSIC: Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus Launches Competition
01 November 2022 CLASSICAL SHEFFIELD: Exciting Competition for Young Composers
31 October 2022 RMCMEDIA: Local Choir Launches New Competition For Young Composers
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29 March 2022 Chorus welcome French and German visitors
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Tuesday 15 December 2020 ‘Tis the season…..
20 October 2020 Chorus CD tops the charts!
21 July 2020 Music Director gives on-line recital for Yorkshire Day
6 July 2020 Music Director’s beautiful Messiah arrangement
28 June 2020 Chorus starts on-line rehearsals
18 June 2020 Music Director joins choral greats in highlighting challenges faced by choirs
16 June 2020 The Guardian – Covid-19 has silenced choirs
18 May 2020 Chorus supports its locked-down musicians
23 March 2020 Concerts postponed and rehearsals cancelled
2 February 2020 Chorus to sing Messiah with French and German visitors
2019
17 December 2019 REVIEW: Sheffield’s Christmas concert tradition
16 December 2019 Carol wins Classic FM competition
15 December 2019 Sheffield Telegraph – Chorus in finals of national carol competition
14 November 2019 REVIEW – ‘Beautifully and intricately rendered by the choir’
8 November 2019 Bring a Man Night
2 November 2019 Chorus to present Bochum gift to Lord Mayor
23 Sept 2019 Chorus kick off BBC Music Day on Fargate
12 June 2019 REVIEW Holy Face Sheffield Telegraph
07 April 2019 Bach’s compendium; SPC /Royal Northern Sinfonia, City Hall
1 Feb 2019 Chorus members sing Messiah in Germany
2018
28 Dec New Year’s Honour for local choir President
6 Dec 2018 Excellent programme from the Chorus
26 Oct 2018 Composer thrilled with recording
28 July 2018 Yorkshire Post celebrates publication of 1911 World Tour Book
23 July 2018 Chorus members sing in France during World Cup
20 July 2018 Tour de France for Sheffield Choir
03 July 2018 Chorus prepares to deliver French mini tour
14 June 2018 Up Close and Personal
11 June 2018 Audience thrilled by Rossini and original Mustel harmonium
31 May 2018 Chorus and harmonium in perfect harmony
11 May 2018 ‘Outstanding’ – Chorus ends Mahler tour on high note
30 April 2018 Review: Bruckner Orchester Linz, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, four stars
30 April 2018 Chorus sing a ‘blazing’ Mahler 2 in Edinburgh
29 April 2018 ‘Assertive Mahler’ Simon Thompson, Seen and Heard International
12 Feb 2018 Chorus sings with Sheffield mezzo soprano
3 Feb 2018 World premiere ‘an emotive journey’
12 Jan 2018 Chorus on journey to Paradise
2017
11 Dec 2017 Calypso Carol on Classic FM
15 Oct 2017 Composer thrilled with premiere of his new work
3 July 2017 Chorus records new CD
6 April 2017 Stairs? No problem!
24 April 2017 Open Letter from the Chair: The relevance of classical music.
20 March 2017 It’s a fact – Singing is good for you!
pre-2016
16 May 2016 140th birthday celebrations
16 Feb 2016 What’s your ‘Fantasy Concert’?
18 Oct 2015 Sisters Steal Away
18 Feb 2013 Rachmaninov – will Chorus be reaching for the vodka?
8 Oct 2012 Free choral workshops and a welcome return for Handel’s Messiah
8 Aug 2012 Free choral workshops and a year full of singing
17 June 2012 Olympic Dreams – Will it be Singin’ in The Rain or Mr Blue Skies?
16 Apr 2012 Contemporary composers take centre stage
16 Apr 2012 New community links in Sheffield
3 April 2012 Bronte Mass ‘impressive’
12 Feb 2012 Alight: Eclectic music lines up to take centre stage as part of the Cultural Olympiad
13 Jan 2012 Scaling The Heights – Singclude Breaks Down Barriers For Disabled Singers
24 Feb 2011 Three-fold choral debut
22 Nov 2010 Songs of Praise – Chorus celebrate 75th Anniversary year with audience of over 2 million
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