Alicia Wins Music Composition Contest

At the end of term, we were delighted to hear that Year 13 Music student, Alicia Lynn has won the NZCT Chamber Music Composition Contest: KBB Composition Award – a national competition with stiff competition from fellow music students around the country.

Alicia is part of the Future Me Music Academy at the College. As a classical vocalist she has made her mark in our performance choirs, as a finalist in the annual Solo Music Competition and on stage in our musicals. Even though she is currently focusing her NZQA Scholarship portfolio on Performance (classical vocal), she has kept up with her other interest and strength in musical composition.

The composition competition is offered to secondary school students throughout New Zealand who are engaged in advanced music composition. Here at the College, students who take music as a curricular subject have the advantage of access to Apple Mac software, such as Sibelius, Garageband and Logic, enabling them to experiment with composition tasks. Alicia’s competition entry was a rondo for a woodwind quartet entitled, ‘The Badger’s Ball,’ arranged for flute, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon. After her submission, she was fortunate to have two sessions with New Zealand composer, Craig Utting, as well as New Zealand composer and musicologist. Dr Andrew Perkings.

Explaining her piece, Alicia said, ‘I have composed this piece to capture the nature of European badgers coming together to have a ball.  A ball would be fitting for the European badgers with their black and white fur resembling those dressed up in tuxedos for a formal event. I chose an arrangement for a woodwind quartet which is appropriate as badgers live in the woodlands and the growl of a badger is often likened to the raspy tone of the woodwind instruments. As badgers most often congregate in small groups, I chose a quartet arrangement, rather than a solo instrument. The piece starts and ends in  D major as this is a ‘happy and friendly’ key, which in my view, fits their personality.  I have composed this with a ¾ time signature to capture a dance-like feel to the music, representing the badgers dancing together at the ball.  Badgers don’t move too quickly or too slowly, hence I have chosen the main tempo as Moderato.  These animals are active and hence I have given all the four parts plenty of movement. I hope this piece brings to life the imagery of a secret ball attended by European badgers deep in the heart of the woodlands.’

Well done Alicia! We are looking forward to this piece being performed at one of our upcoming music concerts.