Winner announced for the Choir & Organ Composition Competition 2012
16 July 2012
2012 winner Seán Doherty
Seán Doherty, 25, has won the Choir & Organ Composition Competition 2012 with his setting of Blessed be that Maid Marie.
Doherty, originally from Derry, Northern Ireland, read music at St John's College, Cambridge before undertaking a PhD at Trinity College, Dublin. Though his PhD research concerned music theory in 17th-century England, Seán has also continued to compose. He won the St Giles' Cathedral Edinburgh Anthem Competition 2012, the Jerome Hynes Composition Competition in 2011, and is a two-time winner of the Feis Ceoil Choral Composition Competition, as well having received various other choral commissions. His passion for choral music stems from singing in Codetta chamber choir, the chapel choir of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and the choir of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
The jury for this year’s competition comprised David Halls, Sarah Baldock, Andrew Lumsden (directors of music at Salisbury, Chichester and Winchester Cathedrals) and choral composer and conductor Bob Chilcott.
The premiere of the winning piece will be given by the Choir of Salisbury Cathedral, directed by David Halls, at the Christmas Carol Service on Friday 21 Dec, 7pm and Sunday 23 Dec, 5pm.
