2023/24 Competition Winner: Sam Parnin

Sam Parnin is a composer and multi-instrumentalist who draws inspiration from many different traditions of music including classical, electronic, jazz, and afro-caribbean. He is a frequent collaborator, and has worked with the Indiana University Percussion Ensemble, the Brent Wallarab Jazz Ensemble, and the Red Note Ensemble. This is in addition to individuals such as Dylan Shane, Josh Flores, Michael McKeague, Marisa Sardo, Eudora Tsai, John Sevy, and Ethan Wood. Committed to fostering lifelong relationships, Parnin seeks to connect with his colleagues on a personal level.

In addition to his concert works for classical ensembles, Parnin is an avid jazz composer, forming the Sam Parnin Big Band in 2020. Through this effort, he self-produced two EPs of original compositions: Canasta (2020) and Thinking Out Loud (2022). Parnin’s work as a jazz composer has been recognized through awards such as the ISJAC Owen’s Prize in Jazz Composition.

Since 2019 Parnin has been a professional organist, serving congregations in Fort Wayne and Bloomington, Indiana. In 2023 he attained the Service Playing Certificate through the American Guild of Organists.

https://www.samparnin.com/

Composer Competition 2023/24 Finalists (5 out of 6 finalists listed)

David Huang Mailman
Alberto Fernández-Díaz
Henry George Page
Benjamin Sledge

APPLICATIONS FOR 2023/24 COMPETITION CLOSED!

MayesMusic is proud to announce its second annual Young Composers Competition (2024)!  Ashby believes that as performers it is our responsibility to help promote and commission new music, especially from young composers and underrepresented composers. Following the success of last year’s competition and winning piece “Goldenrod”, by Christopher Churcher, we’re so delighted to be running the competition again this year. This year we’re commissioning a piece for solo bassoon & unpitched percussion up to seven minutes, where groove should be at the heart. 

You are not required to compose your piece as part of your application and your piece must not be already in existence. We strongly recommend you submit existing pieces that show off your wind & percussion writing, where possible.

We’re delighted that this years competition is sponsored by Tutti Fagotti GmbH.

Competition Requirements and Eligibility:

  • Applicants must be aged 18-30 on the application deadline date
  • Open to composers of all nationalities
  • Composition will be for solo bassoon & unpitched percussion
  • Must not be an existing piece
  • Small application fee of £5

Evaluation & Jury: 

On the application form, you will be asked to submit some information about yourself and a few questions about why you’d like to write for the bassoon, why you’d like to write for / work with Ashby, and a short biography. There is space to share some of your existing works for review by the panel. 

The brief for the composition is to write a piece for solo bassoon & unpitched percussion up to seven minutes, where groove should be at the heart. Your piece will be composed in 2024 working alongside Ashby as he oversees the composition process which’ll allow you to work closely with him and test things as you write your piece. You are not required to compose your piece as part of your application and your piece must not be already in existence. We strongly recommend you submit existing pieces that show off your wind & percussion writing, where possible.

For the percussion part, we’d like you to write for a small multi-setup and/or for handheld instruments, all of which should be readily available. You’ll be asked more about your instrumentation ideas in your written application and in the interview if you advance. This years brief was inspired by a few short pieces by Gene Koshinski for bassoon & percussion, and I would like to increase the repertoire for this instrumentation.

Handheld setup example: Panderio, maracas, Riq etc.

Small multi-setup example: Two toms, cajon, auxiliary percussion etc. 

After the applications are received, a number of applicants will be shortlisted and invited for an online interview with the panel. The Jury will be made up of competition host and director of MayesMusic, Ashby Mayes, percussionist Elsa Bradley & composer Raymond Yiu. See below to read a little more about our panel. 

The application form asks for the following information:

  • Personal info
  • Why you want to write for the bassoon
  • Why you want to write for / work with Ashby
  • What are your intentions for the piece & what interests you about the brief
  • Biography
  • Two work examples (Score & recording. Please remove composer information from the score. MIDI recordings are accepted)
Ashby with Competition Sponsor Nicolas Müller and newly commissioned piece, “Goldenrod” (2023), by Christopher Churcher.
Photo by Liz Isles

Prize:

  • You will receive a cash prize of £600
  • Public performance and/or professional video recording of your piece by Ashby
  • Piece will be published and sold by MayesMusic*
  • Work closely with Ashby on composing for the bassoon, with Adam on composing for percussion and have the opportunity for mentorship mid-way through the composition process with Raymond Yiu. If we’re geographically able to meet in person then we can, otherwise it will be online.

*unless the winning composer is already with a publisher at the time of announcement

Important information:

  • Application Opens: 18th November 2023
  • Application Deadline: NEW DEADLINE: 15th of January 2024!
  • Winners Announcement: February 2024 (exact date TBC)
  • Composition period: Between March-June/July 2024
  • Performance & recording of Winning Composition: Summer 2024 (TBC)

Elsa Bradley, percussion: Jury 

Elsa Bradley is a London-based percussionist and timpanist, originating from the green hills of West Yorkshire. She graduated from King’s College, London and the Royal College of Music with first-class degrees and has gone on to play with a wide variety of orchestras, chamber ensembles and solo artists across the UK, Europe and Canada. Elsa plays regularly with many of the UK’s major orchestras, including BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Philharmonia, and the Sinfonia of London. As a chamber musician, Elsa enjoys playing with both period and contemporary music ensembles, She is the percussionist in the Jess Gillam Ensemble and co-runs her own percussion collective Abstruckt Ensemble. She is also a solo hammered dulcimer and Hungarian cimbalom player, which has taken her right from folk festivals to the recording studio and the BBC Proms.  Alongside multiple BBC Radio 3 appearances and TV/film soundtracks, Elsa features prominently on the albums of saxophonist Jess Gillam, Voces8, O/Modernt and Erland Cooper. Elsa is also a passionate educator, instrumental teacher and workshop leader who is frequently involved with the Benedetti Foundation and Multi-Story Orchestra. If she’s not playing music Elsa loves to be throwing weights around in a Crossfit gym or spending time outdoors..

Raymond Yiu, composer: Jury

The Hong-Kong born, London-based composer, jazz pianist Raymond Yiu is the winner of an Ivors Academy of Music Creators’ British Composer Award in 2010, and nominated for the same award in 2004, 2012, 2013 and 2018. His early work received the advocacy of the American composer-pianist-conductor Lukas Foss. He has worked with ensembles and artists including BBC Singers, BBC Philharmonic, Chroma, Concorde Ensemble, Ensemble 10/10, London Sinfonietta, Lontano, London Symphony Orchestra and Nouvel Ensemble Moderne.

The Original Chinese Conjuror was commissioned for the 2006 Aldeburgh Almeida Opera, and Maomao Yü was commissioned by LSO for Lang Lang and the Silk String Quartet. His ‘hugely impressive’ (The Guardian) Symphony was commissioned by the BBC, and premiered by countertenor Andrew Watts, BBC Symphony Orchestra and Edward Gardner during the BBC Proms 2015. In April 2017, Hong Kong Philharmonic presented the Asian premiere of The London Citizen Exceedingly Injured.

He was nominated for the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards in 2018 (The World Was Once All Miracle, commissioned for Manchester International Festival 2017) and 2020 (Corner of a Foreign Field, commissioned by Tangram). His critically-acclaimed debut portrait album The World Was Once All Miracle was released by Delphian Records in February 2021. 

Co-commissioned by BBC, Hong Kong Philharmonic and Seattle Symphony, his Violin Concerto, written for Esther Yoo, will receive its world premiere in March 2024.

https://raymondyiu.com/

Adam Cracknell, percussion:

Adam has always been driven to explore the enormous world of music, fascinated by the culture that surrounds it and sensitive to its incredible energy and nature. He started out as a jazz drummer before his musical journey led him to discover classical music. He began freelancing with several of the local orchestras including the St Albans, Watford and Bedford Symphony Orchestra. He then went to the Royal College of Music where he received a first-class degree in percussion. Adam launched several of his own creative projects and continues to compose and record original music. At the RCM he developed his interest in Brazilian, Cuban and West African percussion, and performs in each of these styles. As an educator Adam is committed to seeing that children have a safe environment in which they can be creative, explore a diverse range of music and flourish as a young musician. He provides 1-1 lessons, leads ensembles and delivers engaging percussion workshops. As a performer Adam thrives in a wide range of musical contexts. He played on a production of ‘The Band’s Visit’ in the west end, works with the contemporary music group ‘Octandre Ensemble’ and performs with ‘Flash Bang Brass’ at festivals such as Glastonbury.  

Photo by Dumitriţa Gore

Ashby Mayes, bassoon: Jury & Competition host

British bassoonist Ashby Mayes is a postgraduate student with Prof. Ole Kristian Dahl at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Mannheim. He graduated with First Class Honours from the Royal College of Music where he studied with Joost Bosdijk, Sarah Burnett and Martin Field. Ashby is on the Rhein-Neckar Akademie 2023/24 where he is regularly performing with the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Nationaltheater Mannheim, Theater Heidelberg and the Kurpfälzisches Kammerorchester. He held a temporary contract as Sub-Principal Bassoon with the Pori Sinfonietta for their Winter Season 2022 and during his time in Finland also performed with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. He has also performed with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn and as Principal with the Deutsche Philharmonie Merck, Cappella Aquileia / Opernfestspiele Heidenheim and the Bath Festival Orchestra amongst others. Ashby was a member of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra 2022 & 2023 where he was Principal Bassoonist for The Rite of Spring under Susanna Mälkki in September 2023.

During his time at the RCM, he was Douglas & Adele Gardner Award Holder and won various competitions including the Concerto Competition, the Howarth of London Bassoon Prize & the Woodwind Solo Prize. In May 2022 he received the President’s Award presented by HM King Charles III for “exceptional contribution to promoting the work of the Royal College of Music in the wider community”. In 2021, he founded MayesMusic, his very own music publishing site to sell his own arrangements which are being performed all over the world and are now stocked and sold at Howarth of London & Tutti Fagotti (Hamburg). Ashby teaches privately and has tutored on the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain and is delighted to be a Senior Lead Ambassador for the Benedetti Foundation. He is proud to be a sponsored Georg Rieger GmbH Artist as well as a RATStands Artist. When not playing the bassoon, he enjoys everything tech, playing Spikeball and cycling. 

Ashby plays on a Heckel 13000 Series Bassoon.

About our Sponsor: Tutti Fagotti / Nicolas Müller

Tutti Fagotti GmbH is a specialist shop for bassoons and all related accessories. From beginner to professional models, we always have 50 bassoons and contrabassoons from 11 well-known manufacturers in stock. Our philosophy is to bring players and instruments together. We help and guide our customers in their search to find “their” bassoon. Our advice does not focus on a brand or the price, but exclusively on the fit between player and instrument. In the heart of the city of Hamburg, we have created a sweet shop by bassoonists for bassoonists.

Nicolas Müller, born in Baden-Baden, received his first bassoon lessons at the age of 13. After studying orchestral music at the Musikhochschule Mannheim with Prof. Alfred Rinderspacher and in Hanover with Thomas Held, he completed the soloist class at the Musikhochschule Aachen with Oscar Bohorquez. He completed both courses with distinction. The beginning of his orchestral career began with an  internship in the SWF Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden. After several temporary contracts with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Kiel, the Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra and the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra, he joined the Philharmonic Orchestra of the City of Freiburg as 2nd bassoonist with a commitment to the contrabassoon. In 1997, Nicolas moved to the Lower Saxony State Orchestra in Hanover in the same position. After 25 years, he ended his tenure there in 2022 in order to be able to devote himself exclusively to his diverse tasks with Tutti Fagotti. In 2005, after extensive training, he took over the production of Windeler bassoon reeds from Reinhard Windeler and has continued the long tradition of these reeds ever since. In 2012, he founded Tutti Fagotti GmbH together with Jiping Tan.

Why we are supporting the competition:

Our greatest mission is to share and pass on our own passion for the bassoon. It is not only important to us to support young bassoon enthusiasts on their way, but also to help them open up new areas and paths. New compositions not only expand the repertoire of an instrument, but are at the same time great opportunities to provide the impetus for new playing techniques and thus create new possibilities of expression for the player.

https://www.tutti-fagotti.com/

Nicolas Müller, General Manager
Tutti Fagotti GmbH