Dilettante’s Digital Composer-in-residence Competition

Matt and Kat from Plushmusic joined Dilettante for the live finale of a groundbreaking new contest.

Composers from around the world submitted entries in a quest to clinch the first year long ‘digital residency’. Three finalists were picked by a team of judges before the winner was elected by a global public through the classical music hub.

Last night the virtual community came together in person at Wilton’s Music Hall to hear the cracking London Sinfonietta musicians perform an impressive programme of finalists’ entries, alongside works which have inspired them.

Charles Hazlewood was on hand to announce the winner - NYC based composer and percussionist David T Little for 1986, a string quartet based on the tune ‘My Grandfather’s Clock’.

The general consensus was that all three composers had submitted fantastic pieces, each highly individual and a winner in their own right. Those who questioned why holding a live event was necessary for a digital competition were silenced as the difference between hearing the pieces online and seeing them live became clear. To hear the inspiration behind the compositions (including some of the most assailing flute playing we had ever heard in Jonathan Harvey’s The Riot) showed just how mature the competitor’s entries were.

To hear all finalists’ pieces and discover more visit the the Digital Composer in Residence page.

And be sure to catch this remarkable competition in 2010!