National Centre for Early Music Young Composers Award winners Avram Harris, left and Kit McCarthy at the NCEM on the awards day. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick
First published on May 17 2025
KIT McCarthy and Avram Harris have won the 2025 National Centre for Early Music Young Composers Awards.
Kit received the prize for the 19 to 25 age group with his composition Molten Kaleidoscope; Avram triumphed in the 18 years and under category with Transient Variations.
The final of the 18th Young Composers Award was held at the NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York, presented in partnership with BBC Radio 3, on May 15.
This year, the organisers invited aspiring young composers to compose a new trio sonata movement for two violins, cello, and harpsichord. Composers were asked to explore a particular musical world and character in their piece lasting three to four minutes, focusing especially on the interplay between the instruments, and could take a movement from Handel’s Opus 5 Trio Sonatas as a reference point.
Compositions by the eight young finalists were workshopped during the day by composer Professor Christopher Fox and The Brook Street Band, led by cellist Tatty Theo. In the evening, the pieces were performed by The Brook Street Band in a public performance at the NCEM, from where the performance was live streamed to ensure that friends and families were able to join in.
The streamed performance is available on the NCEM Young Composers Award website at youngcomposersaward.co.uk.
Kit McCarthy: Winner of the 19 to 25 age category. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick
The shortlisted composers and pieces:
19 to 25 category:
Kit McCarthy, Molten Kaleidoscope
Parmida Eslaminazari, Celestial Reverie
Brandon Craig, Petit Matin
18 and under category:
Avram Harris, Transient Variations
Pol Macip Porter, Fugue (Tristesa)
Laura Kesiak, A Vintage Television
Ben Greenwood, Drowsiness Changes
Edward Harris-Brown, Sir Trip-a-lot’s Merriment
The 2025 panel of judges comprised BBC Radio 3 producer Les Pratt, NCEM director Delma Tomlin and The Brook Street Band cellist Tatty Theo.
Molten Kaleidoscope and Transient Variations will be premiered on October 3 at the love:Handel festival, run by The Brook Street Band in and around Norwich. The performance will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show.
Avram Harris: winner of the 18 and under category. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick
Delma Tomlin 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. Our composers spent an inspiring day working on their compositions with the band and our esteemed colleague, composer, musician and teacher Dr Christopher Fox.
“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.
“I’d like to say a special thank-you to Dr Christopher Fox, BBC Radio 3 and, of course, my fellow judges.”
Les Pratt, lead producer of The Early Music Show, said: “BBC Radio 3 has been partnering with the colleagues at NCEM for 18 years, supporting this award and nurturing young talent – which is one of our core missions, as the home of classical music and a place where audiences can discover the latest trends and creations.
Tatty Theo, left, and fellow members of The Brook Street Band at the National Centre for Early Music. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick
“Providing a platform for young composers is key in order for classical music to always keep fresh, reflect the present and look to the future. That’s why we can’t wait to share these wonderful new compositions with listeners at home on the Early Music Show and on BBC Sounds.”
Tatty Theo said: “It’s been a real privilege for The Brook Street Band to get 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.
“There’s been humour, surprise, some crazy counting and lots of questions, but we’ve relished the challenge of doing this music justice and look forward to performing the two winning compositions in October at our love: Handel festival, and hopefully incorporating them into Handel programmes in the years to come.”
The Young Composers Award is open to young composers resident in the UK up to and including the age of 25 for the aforementioned age categories. The 2026 edition of the award will be announced in late autumn.