The Andrew Downes Performance Prize is a Royal Birmingham Conservatoire competition open to a wide range of students, with a first prize of £1,000.

Andrew was a prolific freelance classical composer from Birmingham. He composed a diverse span of vocal and instrumental music which has been performed and broadcast throughout the world, in many leading concert halls and cathedrals.

Between 1990 and 2005, Andrew was Head of the School of Composition and Creative Studies at the Conservatoire. He was awarded a Professorship in 1992, and in 2014 he was made Emeritus Professor of Birmingham City University for carrying out his work at Birmingham Conservatoire 'with distinction'.

Details of Entry

1.   Date of competition: Wednesday 6th March 2024 at 19:00 in the Recital Hall 

2.   Closing date for entry: Monday 5th February 2024 

3. Open to all vocal, instrumental and conducting undergraduates (except first-year students) and postgraduates. Open to soloists and ensembles. If you are a first-year student or your ensemble includes a first-year student and you would like to enter, please contact the competition organiser to discuss this. It is possible that an exception will be made.

4.   In exceptional circumstances, groups including a recent graduate(s) may be permitted to enter. It is the ensemble's responsibility to ensure that permission is sought from the competition organiser before their application is accepted. 

5.   Students should submit programmes of around 30 - 40 minutes to include at least 12 minutes of music by Andrew Downes; the rest of the programme should be of music by composers born after 1949. 

6.   Where there is no suitable work by Andrew Downes (e.g. there are no large scale works for trombone, bassoon or trumpet), it is acceptable to transcribe other works by him. 

7.   The Organiser will select a programme of around 20 - 30 minutes that will include the Downes’ composition. 

8.   A preliminary round is held if necessary. 

9.   An opportunity is sought for the winner to perform all or part of the programme in one of the Conservatoire’s concert series. 

First prize: £1,000                   Second prize: £500 

Competition Organiser: Joe Broughton joe.broughton@bcu.ac.uk

To enter The Andrew Downes Performance Prize, visit this link: 

https://icity.bcu.ac.uk/adm/birmingham-conservatoire/prizes-and-competitions

For tips on finding Andrew Downes scores please see this PDF.

Andrew Downes