CALL: Compose for Cello 05.12.25
- Tŷ Cerdd
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
A professional development opportunity for early career composers The Presteigne Festival, in partnership with Tŷ Cerdd and with funding from the PRS Foundation, is about to embark on an exciting composer development project to involve a maximum of six emergent music creators with a classical music background of which a minimum of three will have been born or are living and composing in Wales.
The scheme is open to early career composers not in full-time education (no age limit), and will give a £400 commission to each of the selected candidates to write a 5-minute piece for solo cello (for acoustic performance, without electronics), to be workshopped by Clare O’Connell with a live audience at the Presteigne Festival’s Springboard weekend on 17/18 April 2026. A studio performance will be recorded for video.
The mentoring leads on Compose for Cello are:
Mark David Boden MMus Composition (RCM), BMus Composition (RWCMD) – composer, tutor in composition with notated skills at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Gemma Rosefield – Winner of the Fournier Award, member of the Leonore Piano Trio and Ensemble 360, professor of cello at the Royal College of Music. Has recorded for Hyperion, Resonus and Toccata.
Clare O’Connell – Performer, arranger, curator, soloist and chamber musician, member of Lontano and the Storytellers Ensemble. Has recorded for NMC.
George Vass ARAM – conductor, Artistic Director of the Presteigne Festival, Nova Music Opera and Orchestra Nova.
What is expected of you
1. You should not be in full-time education.
2. You should currently be resident in the UK.
3. You will be expected to attend the first ‘in person’ session at Tŷ Cerdd’s studio in Cardiff on Monday 12 January 2026, from 12 noon until 5pm.
4. You will be expected to attend the Presteigne Festival’s Springboard weekend in person on 18/19 April 2026 (accommodation with Festival hosts will be provided).
5. You should have written sketches for your new cello piece, so that some meaningful workshopping will be possible in Cardiff on 12 January 2026.
6. You will attend short online mentoring sessions with Gemma Rosefield and Mark David Boden in the period between February and April 2026.
Application process
1. The deadline for applications is Friday 5 December 2025 at 5pm.
Please email the following information to georgevass@presteignefestival.com
A 250-word biography.
A pdf and a link to a recording of your recent best piece (only one please).
A reference from a recognised member of the classical music world.
A short statement explaining why you’d like to be part of this process.
2. Please also include your full name, nationality, postal address and mobile number.
3. We will aim to inform candidates if they have been successful by Friday 12 December.
Other information
1. The Presteigne Festival will not pass your contact information to other organisations.
2. The decision panel will be Mark Boden and George Vass.
3. The panel’s decision is final, no further correspondence will be entered into. We very much look forward to receiving your application and supporting information.
Comments