Nneka Cummins wins Liverpool Philharmonic's annual Rushworth Composition Prize

Livepool-based Nneka Cummins has been awarded the Liverpool Philharmonic's annual Rushworth Composition Prize.

They are awarded a £1,000 cash prize and a year’s complimentary membership of the Ivors Academy, the UK’s professional association for music creators.

Cummins will have the opportunity over the next year to take part in a programme of workshops, masterclasses and mentoring sessions from composers, performers, conductors and other industry professionals associated with Liverpool Philharmonic.  

The year will culminate in them writing a new work for performance by Ensemble 10/10, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s new music group, which will be premiered in Autumn 2022.

Cummins said: 'Liverpool is where my passion for music was nurtured and as a teenager, I played in venues across the city as part of Saturday Morning Music Centre’s Liverpool Youth Orchestra. I’m grateful to Liverpool Philharmonic for this opportunity and very much look forward to working with Ensemble 10/10. It’s great to be deepening my musical connection to Liverpool.'

Previous winners of the Rushworth Composition Prize include Carmel Smickersgill and Grace-Evangeline Mason.