This yr’s Presteigne Competition, which runs from 21 to 25 August 2025, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the loss of life of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975), among the many most influential musical voices of the twentieth century, with a retrospective celebrating his powerfully profound chamber works. Alongside these shall be an array of works by modern composers. The closing live performance of the competition options the competition’s creative director, George Vass conducting the competition orchestra within the Shostakovich/Barshai Chamber Symphony Op. 110a alongside the premieres of Huw Watkins’ Concertino for Clarinet and string orchestra (with soloist Robert Airplane) and Edward Gregson’s Aubade (Gregson celebrates his eightieth birthday later this month).
One competition spotlight is the premiere of Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade’s opera Scenes from ‘Underneath Milk Wooden’ carried out
by Nova Music Opera, carried out by George Vass. Slightly than setting
Dylan Thomas’ full play, Cruttwell-Reade has chosen to set scenes in
a means that brings particular person characters to life.
Jamaican-born Eleanor Alberga is the composer in residence and her music within the competition contains the premiere of her music cycle Glimpses, Glances carried out by mezzo-soprano Marta Fontanals-Simmons and the Goethe Quartet, together with performances of her ;String Quartet No. 2. Her Violin Concerto No. 2 ‘Narcissus’ shall be carried out by Benjamin Nabarro with the competition orchestra, carried out by George Vass in a live performance that additionally contains Cecilia McDowall’s Da Vinci Requiem and Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s With what sudden pleasure. There’s additionally an opportunity to listen to Alberga in dialog with composer Thomas Hyde. [see my 2022 interview with her].
Marta Fontanals-Simmons may even give the premiere of Gavin Higgins’ 4 Faerie Folks-Songs [extracted from his cantata The Faerie Bride, see my review] with pianist Timothy Finish in a live performance that features music by John Casken, Thomas Hyde and Mahler, plus Shostakovich’s 4 Spanish Songs (no, I hadn’t come throughout these earlier than, both).
The competition can also be presenting new commissions by Kerensa Briggs, James Francis Brown, Martin Butler, Dani Howard, Tayla-Leigh Payne, James B Wilson and Derri Joseph Lewis (a member of the 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society composer programme). Alongside these shall be music by Thomas Adès, Jonathan Dove, Mared Emlyn, Roxanna Panufnik, Steve Reich, Caroline Shaw, Mark Simpson and Judith Weir.
Full particulars from the competition web site.
