The winners of the 2026 National Centre for Early Music Young Composers Awards have been announced.

The 19th edition was presented in partnership with BBC Radio 3, and recently took place at the NCEM in York.

Winners

The two winners in the 19 to 25 years category wee Kat Farn with 'Labyrinth' and Edward Tait with 'My troubled sense doth move'. The winner in the 18 years and under category was Laura Kesiak with her work, 'In this strange labyrinth how shall I turn'.

This year composers were asked to write a new song setting for soprano, cornett and keyboard, to be performed by The Gonzaga Band, renowned for innovative programming underpinned by cutting-edge research.

Inspirations

Inspirations were linked to the innovative music of Claudio Monteverdi and his contemporaries, evoked in The Gonzaga Band's recently released recital programme 'Love's Labyrinth' which explored the theme of love through the relationship between the voice and instruments, setting a poem by Lady Mary Wroth, a contemporary of Shakespeare.

The eight young finalists took part in a day of workshops at the National Centre for Early Music's home St Margaret's Church with sessions led by composer Professor Christopher Fox, composer and Honorary Professor of Music at the University of York, and The Gonzaga Band, who performed the pieces in a public performance at the venue.

Live stream

The concert was live-streamed and is available to view on the NCEM Young Composers Award website at https://www.youngcomposersaward.co.uk/

The 2026 judges were, Les Pratt, BBC Radio 3 producer; Delma Tomlin, Director of the NCEM, and Faye Newton, whilst the winning compositions will be premiered by The Gonzaga Band in a lunchtime concert at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Tuesday 27th October and recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3's Early Music Show and BBC Sounds.

This year composers were asked to write a new song setting for soprano, cornett and keyboard, to be performed by The Gonzaga Band, renowned for innovative programming underpinned by cutting-edge research4BR

Stepping stone

Speaking about the awards, Delma Tomlin, MBE, Director of the NCEM told 4BR: "These awards are one of the most important elements of our work and are recognised as an important stepping stone in the composers' careers.

It was wonderful to enjoy such an array of outstanding music, and my congratulations go to Laura, Kat and Edward.

The Young Composers Award is open to young composers resident in the UK up to and including the age of 25 and is judged in two age categories: 18 and under, and 19-25. The 2027 edition of the award will be announced in late Autumn 2026.