Introduction
In 2022, the Centenary year of his birth, the Peter Tranchell Foundation held a composition competition for organ, inviting composers to take their inspiration from Tranchell's Sonata for Organ, musical encodings of his name, the Tu Es Petrus melody, and any aspect of Tranchell's life and music. The competition resulted in eight short-listed submissions all of which impressed the Judging Panel, with three prizes awarded. The winning composition, 'Five Portraits of Peter' by Sarah Cattley, and the second-placed work, 'Partita Petrus' by Robert Fielding, were performed by Kevin Bowyer at the Peter Tranchell Centenary Concert on 26 November 2022. Many of those present commented on the quality of the winning entries and on the success of the competition in promoting appreciation of Peter Tranchell’s work and supporting contemporary composers. The 2023 competition was similarly successful, and the winning work Cantemus in omni die, by Dónal McCann, has been performed several times to great acclaim, including in BBC Radio 3's Concert of Contemporary Carols, recorded and broadcast live from the Temple Church by the BBC Singers.
The Peter Tranchell Foundation Composition Prize is now being awarded an annual basis. This initiative is being made possible through the generous support of subscribers and donors (find out how to support the Composition Prize here).
Previous themes and winners
| Year | Theme | Winner | Work | Additional prizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Organ: Tu Es Petrus, Tranchell's name | Sarah Cattley | Five Portraits of Peter | Robert Fielding |
| 2023 | SATB + Organ for Advent: Tranchell's 'People, look East' | Dónal McCann | Cantemus in omni die | Liam Condon |
| 2024 | 2+ songs: titles/melodies of Tranchell's lost songs | Will Harmer | Lullaby; Summer Dance | Ian Shaw, Guy Turner |
| 2025 | Duet for piano and organ: Once a miss, Twice a Kiss... |
The 2025 Competition: a duet for piano and organ
The Brief
The winning work from the 2025 Composition Prize will be performed in a concert on Saturday 18 April 2026 that will also feature Tranchell's comic operetta Twice a Kiss, in which seven singers are accompanied by piano and organ. Tranchell clearly loved this combination, also using it in one of his major sacred works - the Te Deum in E (1974), and in a few other unpublished works. However as far as we are aware, he never wrote a duet for piano and organ, and we would like to give composers the opportunity to use their own voice to do so.
The work may be a single piece or a suite, with total duration not more than 6 minutes. [NB when first published this said 8 minutes, but 6 minutes is the correct figure].
Composers should draw inspiration from the following:
- The comic operetta Twice a Kiss (any aspect - musical/literary/theatrical; for example, the title 'Twice a Kiss' derives from the superstitious rhyme about sneezing - 'Once a miss, twice a kiss, three times a letter, four times something better…').
- Any aspect of Peter Tranchell's life and work.
There will be a choice of two organs at the concert: an electronic Viscount Envoy 35F (the console will be on the stage for coordination with the piano and conductor in Twice a Kiss), and the St. Paul's Knightsbridge organ ( https://npor.org.uk/survey/D08414 ).
Eligibility
Anyone is eligible, including established composers, regardless of age, gender, nationality, religion, sexuality, politics or any other criteria.
Judging Panel
The judging panel comprises acclaimed composers, performers and directors/conductors: David Hill (Chair), Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Jonna Wikeley, last year's winner Will Harmer, and our performers for the concert Tom Winpenny (organ) and David Doidge (piano).
The panel's decision will be made and announced by the end of September 2025 and cannot be contested.
Prizes
The winning composer will receive:
- £500
- A world première performance in the Twice a Kiss concert on Saturday 18 April 2026, St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge (find out more...)
- Invitation to be a member of the judging panel in the subsequent year's competition.
- Publication and promotion of the work by the Peter Tranchell Foundation.
2nd and 3rd prizes may be awarded at the judges' discretion, with commensurate value. The Peter Tranchell Foundation reserves the right not to award any prizes if no entries of sufficient quality are received.
Conditions
- Each composer may submit only one entry.
- The submitted work should not have been previously performed in public, or any recording released, prior to submission.
- The work should not comprise or include material generated by 'AI' (artificial intelligence).
- The composer must ensure that any text used is in the public domain, or that permission to publish, perform and record the work has been obtained.
- The composer must correctly acknowledge sources of texts.
- The composer grants the Peter Tranchell Foundation a perpetual, non-exclusive right to publish, perform and record the work.
- In any performances, publications and recordings of the work that do not directly involve the Peter Tranchell Foundation, the composer shall acknowledge that the work was composed for the Peter Tranchell Foundation Composition Prize 2025.
- The winning composer is expected to attend the performance and reception on 18 April 2026. Composers do not have to attend to be eligible for the award, but we do encourage participation in the event.
Submission
Entries are to be submitted as follows:
By email to info@peter-tranchell.uk:
- a PDF score suitable for printing on A4 paper and for use in performance. NB the name of the composer or other identifying information must not appear on the score.
- a biography of the composer (no more than 500 words) as Word or PDF document. This should include the composer's full name.
- an account of the uses of the themes in the Brief, as a Word or PDF document (no more than 500 words). NB the name of the composer or other identifying information must not appear on this document.
- if possible, MusicXML of the score.
- A scan or photo of the printed, completed and signed registration form. Alternatively, the printed, completed and signed form may be posted to The Peter Tranchell Composition Competition, c/o 1 Fronwen Terrace, Cradoc Road, Brecon, LD3 9HB
Submissions will be forwarded to members of the judging panel anonymously.
All items must be received by 23:59 on Saturday 20th September 2025.