NCEM announces winners of Young Composers Award

The National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) has revealed the winners of its 18^th Young Composers Award. The competition, presented in partnership with BBC Radio 3, took place on 15 May, with Kit McCarthy emerging as winner in the 19 to 25 years category and Avram Harris winning in the 18 years and under category.

Young composers were invited to compose a new trio sonata movement for two violins, cello, and harpsichord taking inspiration from a movement from Handel’s Opus 5 Trio Sonatas. In their submissions, composers were encouraged to explore the interplay between instruments and focus on a ‘particular musical world’.

NCEM director Delma Tomlin MBE said: ‘The Young Composers Award is one of the highlights on the NCEM’s calendar and it’s always a joy to discover these young people’s extraordinary wealth of talent, and, of course, enjoy their fabulous new compositions. This year we’ve been working with the all-female group The Brook Street Band in an exciting new partnership… The Young Composers Award continues to be recognised as an important landmark in the careers of young musicians and it was a privilege to welcome these talented young people to York for an inspiring day sharing music and ideas at the NCEM’s home, St Margaret’s Church.’

McCarthy and Harris were among the eight young finalists invited to NCEM’s home in York to workshop their compositions with composer Professor Christopher Fox and The Brook Street Band. The band then performed the pieces in an evening concert at NCEM for a public audience and panel of judges comprising NCEM director Delma Tomlin, BBC Radio 3 lead producer Les Pratt and Brook Street Band member Tatty Theo.

McCarthy’s Molten Kaleidoscope and Harris’ Transient Variations will receive their official premieres at The Brook Street Band’s annual love:Handel festival, held in October 2025 in Norwich. The performance will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show.

After their performance in the competition’s final round, the Brook Street Band said: ‘It’s been a real privilege getting to know these eight shortlisted compositions, and we’ve enjoyed exploring the wonderfully engaging and creative sound worlds these young composers have conjured up for our period instruments. The repertoire has been thought-provoking and technically demanding in very different ways to the music that inspired it, Handel’s opus 5 trio sonatas, and we’ve loved finding the links between the Handel of the 1730s and these fresh pieces of 2025.’