CHOGM Begins Next Week

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is due to get underway in London on Monday, with a wealth of events celebrating the shared history, values, and purpose of the 53 member states, and you have the chance to get involved. 

Eleanor Corr Wins the 2020 Annual Music Competition!

This week, violinist Eleanor Corr was finally able to get her hands on the Gold Medal and £15,000 first prize of the 2020 Annual Music Competition. Huge congratulations to her! 

Florian Mitrea Receives Award Nomination

ROSL prides itself on helping to support our prizewinning musicians throughout their careers, by giving free rehearsal spaces, performance opportunities, or in several cases, hosting the launch of albums. One such launch, held in July here at the clubhouse, was that of British/Romanian pianist Florian Mitrea, who was the Keyboard Section Winner at this year's Annual Music Competition

Fringe Benefits: Ashley Fripp

Winner of the piano section at the 2011 Annual Music Competition, Ashley Fripp has been a staple of ROSL's concert series at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for several years. Returning again for the 2018 festival in August, Ashley gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what it's like to perform as part of ROSL Recitals

Fringe Benefits: Get Your Golden Ticket

ROSL Recitals is returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month and this year we feature not one, not two, but three Annual Music Competition (AMC) Gold Medal winners. It is your chance to see some of the finest classical musicians the Commonwealth has produced. With 30 concerts spread over two weeks, the Royal Scots Club will be filled with mellifluous music from Monday 6 to Friday 7 August. 

From the Archives: The Grand Dames of the AMC

With Annual Music Competition season nearly upon us, we look back at an article from Overseas which looks back at the women who helped make the AMC such a success over the years. 

Hitting All The Right Notes

Winner of the 2019 Annual Music Competition Gold Medal, trombonist Kris Garfitt tells Mark Brierley how he made it all the way to the Queen Elizabeth Hall and where he plans to go from here. 

Huw Wiggin Launches Reflections

Last night our 2015 Annual Music Competition Gold Medal winner, saxophonist Huw Wiggin, returned to ROSL to launch his album Reflections with Orchid Classics. The evening included a performance of selected tracks from the album along with pianist John Lenehan and harpist Oliver Wass, including Huw talking about his inspiration behind the album, followed by the chance to meet and chat with all the musicians over a glass of wine.

It's Annual Music Competition time!

February and March at ROSL means it is Annual Music Competition time again! Now in its 65th year, the competition is one of the most highly regarded around and has an enviable record of identifying the finest young talent out there. Prizewinners of the competition become part of the ROSL “family” and many winners over the years have told of how they come to regard the clubhouse as a second home, for rehearsals, concerts and mentoring as they start to make their way in a tricky but rewarding industry.

Meet the Finalists: Joseph Havlat

Last but by no means least, we introduce Australian pianist Joseph Havlat, who will be one of four soloists competing for the Gold Medal and first prize of £15,000 at next week's Annual Music Competition Final, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 30 May.

Meet the Finalists: Kris Garfitt

The Annual Music Competition (AMC) Gold Medal Final is now only days away. Before we take our seats in the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 30 May, get to know the four soloists who are competing the Gold Medal and first prize of £15,000. First up, trombonist Kris Garfitt. For the past two years, the winner has come from the wind and brass section; in the form of James Buckle bass trombone and Jonathan Radford saxophone; can Kris make it a hat-trick? 

Meet the Finalists: Roberto Ruisi

In the run-up to this year's Annual Music Competition (AMC) Gold Medal Final, we are introducing the four soloists competing for the first prize of £15,000. This week, meet British violinist Roberto Ruisi. 

Mixing it Up

Last night saw the last of our Section Finals for the Annual Music Competition, with our mixed ensembles final. Four groups took to the stage to compete to be our final Section prizewinner.

Mixing it Up

The penultimate evening of Section Finals for this year's Annual Music Competition took place last night, with four mixed ensembles taking to the stage to perform a hugely varied programme. The most eclectic of the sections, music was stretched to its limits with these wonderfully creative ensembles. 

NZTrio Live From Auckland on 18 April

NZTrio, made up of Annual Music Competition alumni Amalia Hall violin, Ashley Brown cello, and Somi Kim piano will be livestreaming their Dramatic Skies 1: Strauss from Auckland on Sunday 18 April at 5pm local time. 

Overseas Award Goes to Benson Wilson

Last night saw the final clubhouse-based concert of this year's Annual Music Competition, in which the most outstanding overseas musicians from the previous weeks' Section Finals were invited back to compete for the Overseas Award. 

ROSL ARTS Goes Global

Calling our Singapore members! Our Annual Music Competition supports young musicians from all over the Commonwealth, and many go on to perform internationally, giving all our members the opportunity to see them live. On 20 August, our 2017 ensemble prizewinners the B-L Piano duo will be performing an evening of contemporary music at the Esplanade Recital Studio, Singapore.

ROSL Commissions New Logos for 2022 Anniversaries

ROSL has commissioned two new logos in celebration of 100 years of our Royal Charter and 70 years of the renowned ROSL Annual Music Competition. Members will start to see these new designs throughout the year around the clubhouse and on our various publications and website. The design of the logos highlight the colours associated with each event, the Royal Charter with its royal red, and the music competition with its winner’s medal gold. 

ROSL Composition Award

 

ROSL has a long history of commissioning and programming contemporary work and we are excited to build on this tradition with our Composition Award in association with London Sinfonietta and Birdsong, which seeks to give those behind the music a chance to shine. 

Free to enter, advanced emerging composers and music creators aged 18-35 and citizens of UK and Commonwealth are invited to apply for one of six places to workshop a short original work with London Sinfonietta, following which one composer will be selected to win the award, and a £3,000 commission to compose a 12-15 minute chamber work for six players and conductor, to be premiered by London Sinfonietta.

We are also committed to unlocking the musical potential of schoolchildren. and in partnership with London Sinfonietta Participation and Learning will invite our 6 shortlisted composers to help run composition workshop days in London Secondary Schools.

For more information click here

 

2023 Winner - Kai Kubota-Enright 

Kai at Purcell.jpg

Kai Kubota-Enright was the 2022 ROSL Composition Award winner, winnning a £3,000 commission to compose a 12-15 minute chamber work for six players and conductor.

Chosen from one of six finalists after workshopping their piece night, the automaton dreams with London Sinfonietta, the piece received its world premiere in July 2023. 

 

Our 2022 shortlisted composers, who participated in the workshop with London Sinfonietta were: 

  • Jasper Dommett
  • Christian Drew
  • Leo Geyer
  • Edwin Ng
  • Natalie Summers

 

2020 Winner - Michael Small

Michael Small.png

 

Michael Small was the inaugural winner of ROSL's Composition Award in 2020, a £3,000 commission to compose a 12-15 minute chamber work for six players and conductor.

Chosen from one of six finalists last year after workshopping his piece For Years Now with London Sinfonietta, the piece finally received its world premiere in August 2021.

Watch the performance below:

 

Our 2020 shortlisted composers, who participated in the workshop with London Sinfonietta were: 

  • Alex Paxton
  • Dominic Wills
  • Emma Wilde
  • Lucy Callen
  • Xan Gill

 

 

ROSL on the Road This Summer

As well as our regular London events, ROSL continues to support our young musicians around the UK. In July we are pleased to present concerts at the Lichfield and Buxton Festivals and it would be wonderful to see ROSL members at these! 

ROSL People: Jess Dandy

Having won the Roderick Lakin Professional Development Award for Singers in last year's Annual Musical Competition, Jess Dandy contralto is using that support from ROSL to launch her SongPath project this summer. 

ROSL People: Jonathan Radford

Performing in our next ROSL Rush Hour concert on Tuesday 16 April, 2018 Gold Medal Winner at Annual Music Competition, Saxophonist Jonathan Radford discusses his life in music and what led him all the way to the £20,000 first prize. 

ROSL People: Judy McKenzie

In the latest edition of Overseas, creator of this year’s Overseas Award, ceramicist Judy McKenzie speaks to Mark Brierley about her lifelong love of the medium and the circuitous route she has taken to get to where she is today.

Sage Advice From AMC Alumni

It's now less than a week until the start of the 2020 Annual Music Competition Section Finals! Each week from 11 February, exceptionally talented young musicians taking to the stage of the Princess Alexandria Hall to compete for a place in the Gold Medal Final. As final preparations get underway for our soloists, we ask previous winners how they dealt with the nerves and what advice they have for this year's entrants. 

Singapore Success for B-L Piano Duo

On Monday evening, our 2017 Annual Music Competition ensemble prizewinners the B-L Piano took to the stage at the Esplanade Recital Studio, Singapore, for an evening of contemporary music that The Straits Times called an "amazing spectacle of these two truly virtuoso players performing death-defying pianistic feats in tandem and with such apparent ease."

Singing Their Praises

Last night saw the Vocal Section Final of this year's Annual Music Competition take place at Over-Seas House. The four competitors were in fine form, treating us to a varied programme of Mozart, Sibelius, Walton, and Butterworth. 

Slide Action Win AMC Mixed Ensembles Prize

Finally! The 2020 Annual Music Competition has made a triumphant return to ROSL, following a hiatus of more than six months. Last night, the Mixed Ensembles Section Final took place in a socially-distanced Princess Alexandra Hall, where trombone quartet Slide Action took home not one, but two prizes. 

Strings Attached

Last night marked the half way point of our Annual Music Competition with our Strings Section Final. Despite the freezing weather, five musicians battled through the snow to perform for us. The evening gave us true variety, highlighting the breadth of instruments in the strings family with performances on harp, cello, viola, guitar, and violin. 

Strings Attached

In the latest Section Final of the 2020 AMC, last night it was the turn of four Strings soloists to take to the stage and compete for the £5,000 section prize and a place in the Gold Medal Final in June. 

Teamwork on Display

With our four soloists chosen the 2020 AMC Gold Medal Final, it is now the turn of the ensembles to take centre stage. Last night, four string ensembles took to the Princess Alexandra Hall stage to compete for the £10,000 Section Final win and a chance to perform at the Gold Medal Final.