Competition

Lymington, United Kingdom
Posted: 20 Aug 2025
The 2026 Lawson-May Award for Composition
20 Aug 2025 - 01 Mar 2026
This prestigious award of £3500, generously sponsored by Neil Lawson-May is now in its 6th year and has already attracted over a thousand entries from all over the world. There is also a special £500 Solent Music Festival Prize. The award is open to composers of all ages and nationalities.
Main points:
A 10-20 min children's story for narrator, piano, violin, cello and clarinet
£10 application fee
Please submit under own name
Results: 1 March 2026
Works must not have been previously performed in public or recorded for public distribution
The world premiere of main award winner's work will be given at the 2026 Solent Music Festival (25-31 May).
Previous Winners
2021: ‘Qebui’ for piano trio by Eduardo Soutullo (Spain)
2022: ‘Atemkristall’ for cello and piano by Gianluca Castelli (Italy)
2023: ‘Aimai’ for shakuhachi and tenor recorder by Hibiki Mukai (Japan)
2024: Vanishing Corals’ by Kornel Thomas (Hungary)
2025: "Ballade' for solo piano by Robert Melb
Main points:
A 10-20 min children's story for narrator, piano, violin, cello and clarinet
£10 application fee
Please submit under own name
Results: 1 March 2026
Works must not have been previously performed in public or recorded for public distribution
The world premiere of main award winner's work will be given at the 2026 Solent Music Festival (25-31 May).
Previous Winners
2021: ‘Qebui’ for piano trio by Eduardo Soutullo (Spain)
2022: ‘Atemkristall’ for cello and piano by Gianluca Castelli (Italy)
2023: ‘Aimai’ for shakuhachi and tenor recorder by Hibiki Mukai (Japan)
2024: Vanishing Corals’ by Kornel Thomas (Hungary)
2025: "Ballade' for solo piano by Robert Melb
Closing date: 31 Jan 2026
More details:
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