OPUS2018 combines folk singer and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2018, Hannah Rarity, with a piano quintet of Britten Sinfonia’s musicians to form the ensemble for which the OPUS competition winner will be invited to write. Working with emerging talent from a non-classical field and including the use of text for the first time introduces a new and exciting edge to OPUS: allowing a search for a unique, new compositional voice, challenging shortlisted composers to expand their existing musical knowledge, opening the competition to a potential new and alternative range of entrants and audiences alike.

Five shortlisted composers will be invited to a public workshop day, during which they will receive:

• Mentoring from Sir James MacMillan
• The chance to work closely with Hannah Rarity and Britten Sinfonia musicians to develop their compositional techniques
• A performance of their sketch to an audience and panel of judges at Saffron Hall

The winning composer will also receive:

• At least three performances of their work in our At Lunch concert series (at London’s Wigmore Hall, West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge and Norwich St Andrew’s Hall)
• A professional standard recording of their piece
• A commission fee

See further details at the link below.