CONTENT COURTESY ARCADIA WINDS
Melbourne-based composer Alex Turley has been crowned the winner of the 2021 Arcadia Winds Composition Prize.
Turley was chosen from a bumper field of 26 entrants by a panel comprised of esteemed composers Lachlan Skipworth and Elizabeth Younan, along with members of Arcadia Winds. All entrants were asked to submit two previously composed works, as well as a proposal describing how they would go about writing for Arcadia Winds.
“Turley’s work showed a strong command of the wind medium, and his compelling application was the unanimous choice,” says Elizabeth Younan. “The overall standard was very high and we strongly encourage these entrants to apply again in future iterations of the competition.”
Turley will now work with Arcadia Winds to compose a new piece for wind quintet, which will be premiered at the Melbourne Recital Centre in 2022, and then recorded for broadcast on WindStreams, Arcadia Winds’ Australian Wind Music Portal. Turley will also receive $3,000 in prize money.
Turley, 26, is also the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s 2022 Composer in Residence. His recent works have included Barra-róddjiba, a cross-cultural collaboration with all-woman rock band Ripple Effect and Kunibidji elders, and new pieces for multi-composer initiatives The ANAM Set and Sydney Symphony’s 50 Fanfares.
“I’m so thrilled to be selected as the winner of the 2021 Arcadia Winds Composition Prize,” Turley says. “I really admire the work that Arcadia does in fostering the creation of new Australian work and I’m excited to write something fresh for them. I’ve written a lot for winds before, but this will be my first quintet, so it’s a great opportunity to expand my repertoire!”
The Arcadia Winds Composition Prize is an annual competition open to young Australian composers aged 18-35. Generously supported by Barry and Joan Miskin, Kingsley Gee and Matt and Jo Angus of www.sweetreeds.com, it aims to promote, support and inspire a love of new Australian wind music. Past winners have included Harry Sdraulig, Mark Holdsworth and Cayn Borthwick.
For more information about Arcadia Winds, visit www.arcadiawinds.com. If you would like to find out more about Alex Turley, visit www.alexturley.com.
