The Brook Street Band: Heading to York for the Early Music Composers Award Day workshops and concert on May 15
THE 2025 National Centre for Early Music Composers Award Day will be led by The Brook Street Band in the baroque instrumental group’s first engagement at the NCEM, York, on May 15.
The annual competition was launched on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show and BBC Sounds on November 17 last year, when composers were invited to create a short work for two violins, cello and harpsichord – one of the most popular chamber music groupings of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
Entrants resident in the UK were divided into two categories: 18 years old and under and 19 to 25 years old, whose four-minute compositions had to “reflect the extraordinarily inventive musical heritage of Purcell, Corelli and Handel and create a 21st century response to this wonderful music”.
Daytime workshops for shortlisted candidates will be hosted by composer Dr Christopher Fox before the compositions will be performed by The Brook Street Band at the NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, on the evening of May 15 . Each young composer will have the chance to work individually with the group at the workshops.
The winning works will be premiered by The Brook Street Bandon October 3 as part of thelove:Handelfestival in Norwich and will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show andBBC Sounds.
NCEM director Delma Tomlin says: “We’re very excited to welcome The Brook Street Band as our partner for the Young Composers Award 2025. This ensemble is not only one of the leading exponents of Handel’s music, but also has set up its very own festival, love:Handel, where the winning 2025 compositions will be performed.
“The Young Composers Award is one of the most important dates on the NCEM’s calendar and continues to grow from strength to strength, attracting more and more entries from aspiring young composers from all over the UK.
“Taking part in the award has been an important step in the careers of many successful composers and we are looking forward to hearing this year’s new compositions.”
Les Pratt, producer of BBC Radio 3’s The Early Music Show producer, says: “BBC Radio 3 is delighted to continue to support this award, now looking ahead to its 18th edition. It’s hugely important to challenge and nurture young talent, and what’s most gratifying is seeing past winners and entrants who are now making their way in the professional world.
“We are really looking forward to sharing the 2025 compositions for The Brook Street Band with our audiences at home on The Early Music Show.”
Tatty Theo, cellist and director of The Brook Street Band, says: “We’re thrilled to have the privilege of working with young composers, giving life to brand new music that will showcase the varied colours and rich character of our old baroque instruments.
The Brook Street Band cellist and director Tatty Theo
“Handel’s music is at the heart of our music-making, and we cherish this opportunity to explore the creativity it inspires and unleashes in a new young generation of composers.”
Named after the London Street where George Frideric Handel lived from 1723 to 1759, The Brook Street Band was formed by baroque cellist Tatty, rapidly establishing itself among the UK’s leading Handel specialists, and has retained an unusually stable core membership for more than 20 years, skilled in precise and spontaneous musicianship, where the players react instinctively to each other and play as one.
Tatty spoke to The York Press from Hamburg, where she was working on preparations for the Young Composers Award Day with first violinist Rachel Harris, utilising a borrowed cello. “You have to buy a seat on the plane for your cello, and it’s not that straightforward,” she says. “If it’s a busy flight, they try to bump off the cello. You can put the cello in the pressurised hold, but the problem is that baggage handlers don’t know what to do with it – and I don’t like flying anyway!”
It may have taken 20 years for The Brook Street Band to head to York, but better late than never, and Tatty’s group has performed at the companion Beverley and East Riding Early Music Festival. “I’ve known Delma for many years because my group has been established for a long time, and I’ve always kept an eye on her work,” says Tatty.
“The Brook Street Band has a history of contemporary commissions, exploring new repertoire ranging from songs and trio sonatas written especially for period instruments by such composers as Errollyn Wallen and Nitin Sawhney (for the London International Festival of Early Music).
“These commissions challenge you in different ways, so when Delma said, ‘would you be interested in the Young Composers Award’, I absolutely jumped at the chance, particularly as we’ll be working with young composers.”
The Brook Street Band will meet the eight finalists for the first time on May 15 to workshop their works. “We’ve had the repertoire for over a month now, and because I’m with Rachel in Hamburg, we can do some useful work together, bouncing ideas off each other,” says Tatty.
“Otherwise, we will all work on our own ahead of two pretty intensive days of working in York, finessing what the composers have written and they can see how their works fit with our instruments.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting them. We only get to work with each of them for 40 minutes, so it’s going to be a whirlwind, with Christopher Fox there as well to steer everything through to the award day concert.”
The shortlisted pieces will be performed at the NCEM in the presence of the panel of judges and an invited audience at 7pm. The winning pieces will be announced after the concert and the performance will be live-streamed through the NCEM’s website at necem.co.uk.
To book tickets, ring 01904 658338 or visit necem.co.uk.