Following on from the continued success of our previous Organ Music competitions (details of which can be found at the bottom of this page), we are now delighted to announce the winners of our latest competition on the theme of 'Manuals Only Music for Christmas' and would like to thank each and every person from around the globe who entered for your support and interest - the standard, as ever, was very high and our winning pieces (we hope you will agree) fit the brief of our theme perfectly! Alongside a trio of previous winning composers, we are delighted to welcome a trio of new winning composers to our catalogue!
Our outright winner claiming the cash prize and Aspire's very generous bonus prize is:
'Holly Humoresque', by Adam Heron
Adam (b.1998) (who featured in last year's winners anthology as well!) was born in Durham and studied engineering at the University of Sheffield. He began piano lessons aged 9 and, after achieving ABRSM grade 8 piano, took up the organ aged 18. Adam is currently based in Durham, working full time in renewable energy. He also works as a freelance church organist in his spare time and regularly plays for services in various churches in and around the city.
Adam's piece was enthusiastically adjudged as follows...."The mood certainly reflects the title. It makes much obvious use of the carol ('The Holly and the Ivy') ... there's plenty of variety, complete with a spectacular ending!"
A few words from our winning composer, Adam Heron:
"I am delighted to have won this competition! My interest in writing music really started while studying composition in GCSE and A Level Music, and I continued to dabble in composition and arranging at University. I began to focus more on composing during the first COVID lockdown, becoming particularly interested in writing for the organ as it's my main instrument. When I saw the "Manuals Only Music for Christmas" competition I thought the brief would be an interesting challenge, and I found the restrictions of writing for manuals only really sparked my creativity! As the name suggests, 'Holly Humoresque' is a festive and whimsical piece. I hope others have as much fun playing and listening to my piece as I did writing it!"
Here are a few words from our sponsors Aspire Classical Organs who we are greatly indebted to once again for sponsoring the prize money and adding a very generous bonus prize this year!
"As proud sponsors and supporters of the great work at Tim Knight Music, we have donated the prize money and bonus prize for the competition this year. We congratulate this year’s winner, Adam Heron. Congratulations Adam! Your prize and our Viscount Headphones will be with you shortly."
We are very grateful and also indebted to Alejandro D. Consolacion II for providing us with this wonderful recording of the winning piece ...
The other winning entries which will be published with 'Holly Humoresque' in the anthology booklet are as follows (see below for details of our special pre-release offer!
'Christmas Bells' by Phil Lehenbauer
Phil Lehenbauer is a Florida organist and composer and is a previous winning composer in our 'Organ Music for Joyful Moments' competition. His many works are mostly based on hymn tunes, for use at his church, Shepherd of the Coast Lutheran, in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and he is proud that his music has been heard in over 50 countries to date. 'Christmas Bells' was written to capture the joy of the Christmas season, and hopefully brings the performer joy as well! Phil's piece was adjudged to be "Easy to play, and great fun, especially if you have bells on your instrument!".
'Meditation on "God rest you Merry, Gentlemen"' by Luigi Mengoni
We welcome Luigi to our catalogue! Luigi was born in Florence, Italy, in 1970. Self-taught organist, since 1983, he is titular of the Costamagna organ of Sant'Agata Mugello Parish Church. He has written extensively for his favourite instrument, mainly variations for Solo Organ, given concerts in Italy and France and inaugurated two new instruments. The composer says of his piece: "I've always been fascinated by Christmas carols in minor keys... this carol is usually sung in an energetic and decisive manner; on the contrary, my setting is very intimate, like a quiet and peaceful pastorale. Stop indications are for a very small instrument with two keyboards, but the piece can be easily adapted to a single manual organ."
'Bethlehem' by Roberto Fresia
Roberto is also a new composer we welcome to our catalogue! Roberto Fresia (1969) is organist at the Cathedral of Cuneo (Piedmont, Italy), where teaches at Diocesan Institute of Sacred Music. 'Bethlehem' is the meeting place for shepherds and for every believer (theme A) with baby Jesus in a stable. The light of the child heartens them (theme B). The shepherds return (theme A). The style recalls the classic Italian pastoral. It was adjudged to be, "A pastorale with some attractive individual touches (eg, the melody of the opening few bars)".
'Pastorale on Sussex Carol' by Vidas Pinkevicius
Vidas completes our trio of new composers whom we welcome to our catalogue! International concert organist and composer Dr. Vidas Pinkevicius is the co-creator of Secrets of Organ Playing - a blog, podcast, YouTube channel and training site for thousands of organists from 89 countries. Together with his wife Dr. Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene they also lead Vilnius University organ studio "Unda Maris" and perform organ duet recitals in Lithuania and abroad. Vidas' composition ... "is inspired by the tune of Sussex Carol and can be played on a single manual instrument but a two manual organ allows for a clear solo voice in the right hand part ... this piece will be very effective in liturgical and concert playing whenever gentle and calm music is desired".
'Il Est Né' by John Rossiter
To complete this year's winning anthology, we welcome back John Rossiter, with his piece which was adjudged as, "A cheerful setting, evoking the mood of baroque chorale prelude...". John states that he is not a professional musician but more of a “hobby” organist and composer. He was Assistant Organist at St Cuthbert’s, Brislington in Bristol many years ago when at school and has not held any other post since. He graduated as a Chemist and retired a few years ago after a varied career but has always maintained an interest in the organ and its music and now has plenty of time to enjoy it.
The Anthology printed booklet (TKM891) will be available week commencing 2nd October 2023 priced at £11.95 but it is now available only via Tim Knight Music website until 1st October at the
PRE-ORDER PRICE of just £10.50
Click on the picture to pre-order your copy (or copies)!
The PDF Download (TKM891DL) is available now
at the offer price of £9.00 until 1st October 2023
(full price will be £10.00 thereafter)
You can browse through our previous anthology booklets via these links:
WITH GRATEFUL THANKS TO OUR PROUD SPONSORS
If you have any queries, please email us at mail@timknightmusic.com