The John Sanders Memorial Competition for Young Composers
To promote and encourage the composition of music suitable for the liturgy,
since 2009 The Sanders Society has organised a triennial (formerly biennial)
competition for young composers under the age of 30 years. Full details of
the requirements for the composition are found in the Competition
Rules, and include the Biblical text which must be set.
The winning award currently consists of a cheque for £1000, consideration for performance
of the winning composition by three of the country’s finest cathedral choirs
during the Gloucester Three Choirs Festival, and the possibility of a publishing
contract with Encore Publications.
In seeking only the very highest musical quality of composition entry, the judges
may consider that a sufficiently high standard has not been attained and may
refrain from making an award that year. If this occurs the Society has, in the
past, commissioned a new choral work from an already established young composer.
The next composition competition for young composers will be judged in May 2026:
- Closing date: 12 noon Friday 27th March 2026
- Judging: May 2026
- The winning composer will be notified by email, (confirmed by letter) and details of the winning composition
will be announced on Friday 19th June 2026 on this website
- Judges:
- Adrian Partington
- Bob Chilcott
- Neil Cox
- Tim Rogers (Encore Publications)
Full rules of the composition competition for young composers and an entry form may be downloaded
below:
In addition, entry forms for UK entries can be obtained by post, enclosing a stamped and addressed
C5 envelope, from:
The Sanders Society,
144 Tuffley Avenue,
Gloucester
GL1 5NS
Overseas applicants please contact info@sanderssociety.org.uk.
Competition Winners
| 2009: |
Graham Ross – “I sing of a Maiden”" |
| 2011: |
No award was made but the Society commissioned a new work by Matthew Martin.
His setting of the wonderful text from Revelation “And I saw a New Heaven”,
under the title “A Song of New Jerusalem” was performed by Gloucester
Cathedral Choir, and has since been published to wide acclaim by Faber. |
| 2013: |
William Cole – “Let all mortal flesh keep silence” |
| 2015: |
No award made |
| 2016: |
Joshua Pacey – “Mary‘s Lullaby” |
| 2018: |
No award made |
| 2019: |
James Speakman – “Tui sunt Caeli” |
| 2023: |
William Harmer – “Rejoice in the Lord O ye righteous” |