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Daryl Runswick Competition 2019

Tue 2 April 2019

Second year student Jake Allen has won this year’s composition prize.

The atmospheric Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe – housed in an underground Thames Tunnel Engine House designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1825 – came alive with the sounds of Trinity Laban students’ brand-new works on Wednesday 27 March for the annual Daryl Runswick Competition.

Named after a former Head of Composition at Trinity Laban, the competition is one of the Conservatoire’s premier prizes and sees Trinity Laban Contemporary Music Group perform students’ compositions directed by Gregory Rose.

This year, the competition was adjudicated by award-winning British composer Freya Waley-Cohen, whose music BBC Music Magazine has described as “at once intimate and visionary”.

Speaking at Wednesday’s event, Freya praised the five finalists’ work, commending their individuality and unique voices, before naming undergraduate composer Jake Allen the overall winner for Teeth Too Big to Floss.

On awarding the prize, Freya described Jake’s piece as “extremely characterful, with great moments of counterpoint and a driving momentum throughout, and with a good use of space.”

On winning this year’s competition, Jake comments –

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to have my work performed, especially in such a unique venue. Studying composition at Trinity Laban has given me the skills to write and orchestrate for larger ensembles, as well as providing opportunities to hear my music being work-shopped and performed. Feedback received from tutors and performers at Trinity Laban throughout the Daryl Runswick Competition has been vital to the progression of my piece and I’ve learnt a lot through the process. “

Trinity Laban’s Head of Composition Dominic Murcott commented –

“This year’s Daryl Runswick Competition was one of the best: a perfectly eccentric location, which sounded great, a large audience, and an excellent Contemporary Music Group led by Gregory Rose, who brought immense experience and generosity. All five pieces were of an incredible standard – a testament to the creativity and flair within the Composition Department at Trinity Laban.”

Alongside Jake, the other four finalists were postgraduate student Dominic Veall, and second-year composition students Morgan Burroughs, Anastasios Antoniou, and Samantha Carr.

As London’s Creative Conservatoire, Trinity Laban provides a playground for the creative mind where experimentation combines with technical excellence.

Learn more about the Composition Department on our study pages.

 

Lead image: Trinity Laban Contemporary Music Group (credit: Lidia Crisafulli), text image: Jake Allen