ROH launches young composer competition

The music of 11- to 14-year old composers will be heard at the Royal Opera House from June 2010. The company has launched the Fanfare Competition, which invites young people to compose 30-second long fanfares. The winning entries will replace the ringing bell currently used to call the audience to their seats.

Composer Duncan Chapman will lead an orchestration workshop with the winning composers, whose fanfares will be recorded by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.  The winners will also be invited to attend a performance at the ROH, when they will hear their fanfares broadcast inside the House.

Antonio Pappano, Music Director of the Royal Opera, Barry Wordsworth, Music Director of the Royal Ballet and Orlando Gough, Associate Composer of the ROH will judge the entries and announce a winner on 2 March 2010.  Pappano says of the initiative: ‘We might discover some incredible talent, but the important thing is that young people create music.’

The ROH is encouraging Key Stage 3 teachers to use the competition as a class music project, and students can enter individually or as groups.  Its website includes some examples of fanfares and supporting films to help entrants.  Entries must be received by 12 February 2010.  For more information, visit www.roh.org.uk/fanfare.