Composers

Panufnik Young Composers Scheme

The LSO Discovery Panufnik Young Composers Scheme is an exciting initiative offering six emerging composers each year the opportunity to write for a world-class symphony orchestra.

It has been devised by the Orchestra in association with Lady Panufnik in memory of her late husband, the composer Sir Andrzej Panufnik, and is generously supported by the Helen Hamlyn Trust.

Under the guidance of renowned composer Colin Matthews, the scheme enables composers to experiment over time and develop their orchestral writing skills; they form collaborative musical relationships with LSO players as well as witnessing their specially composed pieces put under the microscope by the LSO and François-Xavier Roth in a public workshop rehearsal – a major learning curve.

> Watch a film about the Panufnik Composers Scheme

'My composer husband, Andrzej Panufnik, received three commissions and recorded most of his symphonic music with the LSO. He worried about how young composers could nowadays attain essential experience with highest level orchestras: this project fulfils his dream.'
Lady Camilla Panufnik

Panufnik 10 minute commissions

In addition, each year the Panufnik Young Composers Scheme offers one composer (from the previous year's intake) the chance to write a larger-scale commission for a main-stage Barbican concert and to hear it rehearsed by the LSO well in advance of its premiere, giving them valuable time to refine and rework these pieces prior to public exposure.

We are delighted to announce that the 2011 Panufnik 10-minute Commission has been awarded to Matthew Kaner. The world premiere of his new commission will take place on Thursday 19 September 2013.

Previous Panufnik 10 minute commissions:

• Edward Nesbit Parallels (world premiere 29 November 2012)
• Vlad Maistorovici Halo (word premiere 13 March 2011)
• Andrew McCormack Incentive (world premiere 10 December 2009)
• Charlie Piper The Twittering Machine (world premiere 26 October 2008)
• Jason Yarde All Souls Seek Joy (world premiere 28 November 2007)

Panufnik 5 minute commissions

From 2012 onwards, thanks to the generous support of the Helen Hamlyn Trust, we will be offering an additional commission opportunity for one Panufnik composer each year to write a 5 minute commission for a main-stage Barbican concert.

We are delighted to announce that Eloise Nancie Gynn has been awarded the 2011 Panufnik 5' commission. The world premiere for Eloise's commission will be on 24 March 2012.

The 2012 Panufnik 5' commission has been awarded to Alastair Putt. The world premiere of his new commission will be announced shortly.

Previous Panufnik 5 minute commissions:

• Francisco Coll Hidd'n Blue (world premiere 15 January 2012)

2012 Scheme

The following six composers are writing for the Orchestra on the 2012 Panufnik Scheme:

Patrick Brennan
Leo Chadburn
David Coonan
Bushra El-Turk
Ryan Latimer
Aaron Parker

Each composer will receive tutorials from Composition Director Colin Matthews, input from Composition Support Christian Mason, support from LSO players, and open access to LSO rehearsals and concerts over the year. The scheme culminates in a public workshop on Thursday 11 April 2013 during which the composers' three minute works will be rehearsed by the London Symphony Orchestra with conductor François-Xavier Roth at LSO St Luke’s.

2013 Scheme

We are delighted to announce that the following composers have been selected for the 2013 Scheme:

Kim Ashton
Benjamin Graves
Jae-Moon Lee
James Moriarty
Elizabeth Ogonek
Richard Whalley

Previous participants

2011: Matthew Kaner*, Michael Langemann, Joanna Lee, Alastair Putt~, Duncan Ward, Mihyun Woo

2010: Nancie Eloise Gynn~, Cevanne Horrocks-Hopayian, Christopher Mayo, Edward Nesbit*, Dan Stern, Elizabeth Winters

2009: Edmund Finnis, Francisco Coll Garcia~, Fung Lam, Vlad Maistorovici*, Max de Wardener^, Toby Young

2008: Andrew McCormack*, Joshua Penduck, Matthew Sargeant, Sasha Siem+, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Raymond Yiu^

2007: Elspeth Brooke, Emily Howard+, Tom Lane, Charlie Piper*, Evis Sammoutis, Anjula Semmens

2006: Larry Goves, Emily Hall+, Christian Mason+^, Matthew Rogers, Martin Suckling+, Jason Yarde*+

2005 (pilot): Daniel Basford, John Douglas Templeton, Philip Venables

Key:
*Panufnik 10' commission
~Panufnik 5' commission
+UBS Soundscapes: Pioneers Commission
^LSO Artist Commission (commissioned to write a piece for a visiting artist or artists for performance in LSO concerts at the Barbican or LSO St Luke’s. Artists have included Midori, Lang Lang and the Silk Strings and Hugh Masekela)

Download the participants' biographies below.

Blog

Each year the participants are asked to document their experiences on the scheme in a blog. Read the blog at panufnik.wordpress.com