To celebrate the incredible contribution that Léon Goossens made to the oboe world, a brand new composition prize has been set up in his memory.
Beginning in 2016, this competition will run biennially with the aim of inspiring a new generation of composers to write new music for the oboe.
About Leon Goossens
Until my father appeared on the music scene the oboe was primarily an orchestral instrument. By his playing and his distinctive tone he raised it to solo status and composers began to take notice and be inspired to write for him. Also, the fact that he was happy to play in small as well as large halls, and in the same way to perform small as well as large works was an encouragement to young and often unknown composers to explore the new range of this hitherto minor instrument.
I think it is true to say that without Léon Goossens, a huge swathe of wonderful music would never have been written.
Jennie Goossens, August 2015
Winner of Léon Goosens Prize 2016
We are pleased to announce the winner of the inaugural Léon Goossens Prize is Piyawat Louilarpprasert. Piyawat’s composition for solo oboe entitled Black Soaring Birds will be premiered on 16th April 2016 by James Turnbull as part of The Oboe in Concert.
Piyawat Louilarpprasert is current studying for his Masters in composition with Dai Fujikura and electronic music with Gilbert Nuono at the Royal College of Music with The Charles Stewart Richardson Scholar Award.
The winning composition will be published by Composers Edition and available through their website shortly for print or digital download. A recording of the composition will be available for digital release by Oboe Classics later this year.
The cash prize for the inaugural Léon Goossens Prize has been very kindly supported by the British Double Reed Society. For more information about the Society, please visit http://bdrs.org.uk
The judges also decided to award a special commendation to Tom Floyd for his composition for oboe and piano entitled Strange Stars. Tom’s composition will also be published by Composers Edition.
