Nneka Cummins, MMus Composition alum (class of 2022), has been awarded an Ivors Classical Award for Best Large Ensemble Composition with their striking work finding gills [when they try to drown you].
Presented by The Ivors Academy on 11 November 2025, the prestigious award honours outstanding achievements in composition and sound arts. Nneka’s piece was selected from more than 220 submissions, all judged anonymously by a panel of composer peers.
Cummins’ award-winning composition, finding gills [when they try to drown you], is a compelling work for chamber orchestra and electronics. It explores resilience and transformation through dynamic textures and rhythmic drive, combining acoustic forces with electronic sound to create a bold, immersive sound world.
Described by The Ivors Academy as a “first-time nominee whose originality and sonic imagination made a powerful impression,” the piece highlights Nneka’s distinctive voice as an emerging figure in contemporary music.
Before embarking on their creative journey, Nneka trained and worked as a solicitor, holding a first-class degree in Law from Durham University. Their move into music marked a remarkable career shift, and at Trinity Laban they were supported through the Gareth Neame Scholarship and the Trinity College London Scholarship.
Nneka’s compositional practice blends groove-inspired rhythms, extended instrumental techniques and electronic elements, often drawing on themes of identity, place and transformation. They are currently a nonclassical Associate Composer and was recently announced as a 2026 Royal Philharmonic Society Composer.
Dominic Murcott, Head of Composition at Trinity Laban, said:
“We are delighted to congratulate Nneka on their well-deserved win. This accolade is particularly special given their highly individual journey. Arriving at Trinity Laban having worked as a lawyer, Nneka did not have the typical conservatoire composer profile but was inquisitive and determined. It is precisely because of their evident potential and individuality that we accepted them on the course, and very probably one of the reasons they won this award.”
Trinity Laban Honorary Fellow and Junior Trinity alum, Debbie Wiseman, was also recognised at the awards, winning Outstanding Contribution to Screen Composition.