In 2011, the Dunedin Youth Orchestra proudly announced a new award for young composers. This is an annual award for an orchestral composition that is kindly supported by Dunedin composer Anthony Ritchie. The DYO is pleased to be able to support young composers in our community.
The aim of the Anthony Ritchie Composition Prize is to foster and encourage orchestral composition for Youth Orchestras by local composers of a similar age. Entrants should be currently resident in Otago or Southland. Winners receive financial compensation and their winning entry performed by the Dunedin Youth Orchestra.
The winner of the Anthony Ritchie Prize for 2025 is James Hurley with his piece titled, “Wasteland Overture”. James’ piece was premiered at our 2025 Semester 2 concert.
Entries for 2026 competition will be open in early March.
Rules
- The aim is to foster and encourage orchestral composition for Youth Orchestras by local composers of a similar age.
- Entrants should be currently resident in Otago or Southland.
- Entries must be submitted via the online entry form. Submissions close at 8pm on the 31st of May 2025.
- Entrants must submit one digital, notated full score of their work with a nom de plume (pseudonym name).
- Entrants must submit a sound file with their music score. It can be a MIDI file from any music programme and should be uploaded (e.g. to Dropbox or Google Drive) as an mp3.
- Applicants should be in the same age range as for members of the Orchestra, ie under 25 years old at the closing date.
- The piece should be no more than 10 minutes and should either be for:
- A full symphony orchestra of the indicated instrumentation:
- 3.2.3.2/3.2.3/timpani.2 perc/Strings.
- Or 2023 DYO’s seating structure:
- 2 flutes (2 parts, but 3 instruments)
- 1 oboe
- 2 clarinets in B flat
- 4 horns in F
- 2 trumpets in B flat
- 2 trombones (2nd trombone may be a bass trombone)
- Two percussionists (can play timpani, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, glockenspiel, and some other instruments on request)
- 1st violins
- 2nd violins
- Violas
- Cellos
- A full symphony orchestra of the indicated instrumentation:
Previous recipients
2025
- James Hurley - Wasteland Overture
2024
- Clara Satherly – Through the Mountain Way
2023
- Grace Shaw – Southern Alps Overture
2022
- Georgie Palmer – A Grand Adventure
2021
- Cameron Monteath – Two Variants: Closer – Farther
2020
- Megan Kyte – L’aube du printemps (Dawn of spring)
2019
- Ihlara McIndoe – Creek’s Chorus
2018
- Isaac Shatford – The Thing
2017
- Nathaniel Otley – Canvas
2016
- Sam van Betuw – The Stone Mage and The Sea
2015
- Merlin Callister – A Run in Ross Creek
2014
- Sam van Betuw –The Soprano Sorceress
2013
- Bene Stewart – What If?
2012
- Alex Campbell-Hunt – Canada Suite
2011
- Corwin Newall – Hang In There