Congratulations to former Purcellian, Kristina Arakelyan, winner of this year’s NCEM Young Composers Award presented in association with BBC Radio 3.

The new pieces were performed by Theatre of the Ayre, directed by one of Europe’s leading lutenists Elizabeth Kenny , with tenor Nicholas Mulroy and mezzo soprano Anna Starushkevych . The winners were announced after the concert by Les Pratt, BBC Radio 3 Producer, one of the three judges. The other judges were Elizabeth Kenny, Director of Theatre of the Ayre and Delma Tomlin, Director of the National Centre for Early Music.  There were two awards: one for composers aged 18 years and under, won by Alex Dakin and one for composers aged 19 to 25 won by Kristina Arakelyan.

The winning pieces will be premiered by Theatre of the Ayre and broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show in the autumn.