BBC Young Composer 2023 winners announced

The BBC has today announced the winners of its 2023 BBC Young Composer Competition. Out of more than 350 entries received for this year’s competition, six winners have been chosen in three age ranges and will now participate in a year of development alongside a mentor composer.

During this tailored development scheme, the winners will work with their mentors on a project with members of the BBC Concert Orchestra. The programme will culminate in a live performance or broadcast opportunity for the work they create.

BBC Concert Orchestra director Bill Chandler said: ‘I am hugely impressed with the exceptionally high standard of music-making from the young people who entered the BBC Young Composer competition. Across the UK there is a vast amount of creativity and talent, and whilst I know it was difficult for the judges to choose a small selection to be winners, everyone involved should be proud of their efforts.’

The winners, listed in each category are as follows:

Lower Junior Category (age 12-14)

• Atharv Gupta – Demain, Dès L'Aube
• Avram Harris – Across the Void

Upper Junior Category (age 15-16)

• Advaith Jagannath – Saturn Devouring his Son
• Pascal Bachmann – Étude-Grotesque

Senior Category (age 17-18)

• Jamie Smith – Into Oblivion
• Reese Carly Manglicmot – Rumble

Young composers of all backgrounds, styles and levels of technical ability were invited to submit an online entry to the competition using any instrument or composition method. Each composition was assessed on its compositional idea creativity and originality, by a panel of judges including previous Young Composer Competition winner Shiva Feshareki, as well as composers Lloyd Coleman, Abimaro Gunnell, Gavin Higgins, Cassie Kinoshim and Eímear Noone, plus BBC Proms director David Pickard and Katie Tearle, director for New Music at Edition Peters Group.

‘Highly commended’ awards were also given to nine entrants who will receive a feedback session with a member of the judging panel.