Dear All
Happy St Patrick's Day!
We're delighted to be able to announce the three winners of the Young Composers' Competition.
Please see our press release below that will be shared on social media tomorrow morning.
With many congratulations to all those who took part and a huge thanks to Mark, Ian, Paul, Kate and Debbie who have done the extremely difficult job of judging the fanbtastic entries. Particular thanks to Mark Phillips for his ongoing brilliant work!
From
Ann on behalf of the Committee
The Bedfordshire Orchestral Society is pleased to announce the winners of its Young Composers’ Competition 2026.
The competition was open to students aged 14-19 who are educated or resident in Bedford borough, Central Bedfordshire, Luton, and the City of Milton Keynes.
The three winning composers, chosen by the judging panel from a very strong field, are:
Seth Garner (E-ACT Ousedale School, Newport Pagnall)
Elias Demetrius-Louisy (Bedford School)
Ezra Bail (Stantonbury School, Milton Keynes)
Panel members made their judgements from scores and recordings submitted, but without knowledge of the composers’ names, ages, genders, or schools.
Mark Phillips (Competition Chair) said:
‘Composing is such an important part of the school music curriculum. It encourages students to apply their instrumental and vocal skills, their understanding of the forms and devices that underpin musical construction, and their increasing knowledge of different musical styles, in a creative and expressive way. Clearly, there is some outstanding music education going on in our region’s state and independent schools. We congratulate the winners and all entrants to Bedfordshire Orchestral Society’s competition for the high standards and musicality shown in their work. We also thank their teachers, headteachers and families for the tremendous support they give, and for enabling music to be a central part of young people’s education and the life of their schools.’
The three winning composers and their compositions will be celebrated in a concert by Bedford Sinfonia conducted by Ian Smith on Saturday 2 May 2026 in St Paul’s Church, Bedford. The concert will include other pieces written when the composers were in their teens, including symphonies by Schubert and Arriaga, and Mozart’s ‘Exultate Jubilate’ with soloist Carolyn Sampson OBE.
Tickets for the concert are limited, so book now: www.bedfordsymphony.com
BSO Information:
Rehearsals: Wednesday 18th March, 7.30pm at BGI
N.B. Please add the bar numbers in to the Bruckner before the rehearsal!
Sinfonia Information: Bedford Choral Society on Saturday 21st March
Tickets are selling quickly for this: book via the Choral Society website! Going to be a fantastic concert!
Other Committee News:
This week: Wednesday 18th March 6-6.45pm
This is our second meeting this season (and our third since starting this Summer 2025) for all Section Leaders and Leaders (and Committee members) across BSO and Sinfonia to allow you to discuss musical and organisational issues together, decide on action and think about how to make life easier!
So far, Leaders and Section Leaders have talked about different ways of sharing information with their section members, for example, and agreed on etiquette for asking questions in rehearsals and giving info in advance on repertoire being rehearsed, just to give a few examples.
If you are a Section Leader, please come if you can!
Here is the link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/7044421352?omn=85449493589
Ann Collins will be facilitating this meeting on Zoom. Notes will be shared afterwards, but there won't be a recording.
Message from Jo, Treasurer:
Dear All
As we’re now a little over halfway through our 25-26 season, I thought that you might like to have a brief update on how our finances are doing.
You may remember that we started the season well below the £30K we should have in the bank to operate according to our Constitution and we needed to get back to at least that level of reserves to be able to feel secure for the future.
Although £30K might seem like a lot of money to hold, it’s actually less than 75% of what we expect to spend this year in putting on our 11 concerts. The reason charities, such as Bedfordshire Orchestral Society are expected to hold reserves of around one year’s operating costs, is that if disaster strikes and we can’t continue for some reason, we have to be able to cover all of our debts and liabilities.
But the good news is that the membership of BSO has grown this year and consequently the amount taken in member subscriptions has grown. We have also had strong ticket sales as well as some generous donations from individuals and companies and some very welcome grant funding.
As a result, we are now on track to a much more financially secure position. If we can keep working through April and May to achieve sellout concerts in the Summer, along with looking ahead to the financial contribution to putting on concerts which members of Sinfonia will be making next season, I think that we’ll be able to start our 60th birthday season in September 2026 full of confidence and optimism for the future.
Thank you to everyone who has helped to achieve this financial stability this year and please keep working for sellout concerts so that we can be sustainable for the next 60 years!
Very best wishes to all
Jo
Hon Treasurer
From our Friends:
From Jan:
On Friday May 15th Margaret Faultless, Professor of baroque violin at the Royal Academy of Music and at Cambridge University and formerly leader of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is coming to direct a rehearsal of Italian, French, German and English string music with the strings of NBYCO at Newnham school from 7-9.15 to which Sinfonia and Symphony orchestra string players are invited both to watch and participate, for a suggested contribution of £10 for the session.
The music covered will include a Vivaldi double cello concerto, Bach’s third orchestral suite, Atys by Lully and Purcell music for the Double Dealer, or Abdelazar and the Chaconne.
Do let Jan Kaznowski know if you would like to attend. On
From Sam Rick, conductor of the Bedfordshire Community Orchestra:
Desperate plea….!
Are there any lovely trumpet or French horn players that can help with my BCCO concert on Saturday 28th March?
1st trumpet and 3rd & 4th horns needed.
Schumann Symphony no 1 and Mendelssohn Ruy Blas Overture
Please message if you’re free and willing!!
Contact Sam: [email protected] 07973489809
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