Masterprize International Composing Competition

{{Short description|International symphonic composition award}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Use British English|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox award

| name = Masterprize International Composing Competition

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| awarded_for = Orchestral composition

| established = Founded by John McLaren{{Cite journal |last=Gwyther |first=Matthew |year=2002 |title=How to Reinvent Yourself |journal=Management Today |pages=47 |issn=20595425 |quote=John McLaren became a diplomat after university ... He also founded Masterprize, a competition for classical music symphonic composition, and he is chairman of the Barchester Group...}}

| sponsor = Coutts & Co. (for 1998){{cite journal |last1=Anderson |first1=Martin |date=1998 |title=The Masterprize Final |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/944752 |journal=Tempo |publisher=Cambridge University Press |issue=205 |pages=16–17 |jstor=944752 |access-date=30 September 2021}}

| date = {{start date|1996|04}}

| venue = Barbican Centre, London

| country = United Kingdom

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| reward = GBP £25,000 (in 1998)
GBP £30,000 (in 2001){{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1593421.stm |title=Academic wins £30,000 music prize |author= |date=11 October 2001 |website=news.bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC News |access-date=12 October 2021 }}
GBP £30,000 (in 2003){{cite web |url=https://sequenza21.com/112502.htm |title=Write a Masterpiece and Win a Masterprize |author= |date=25 November 2002 |website=sequenza21.com |publisher=Sequenza21 |access-date=28 September 2021 |quote=The winner will receive a cash prize of £30,000.}}

| year = 1998

| year2 = 2003

| website =

}}

Masterprize International Composing Competition, informally known as Masterprize, was an international composing competition founded in April 1996 by author, investment banker and former diplomat, John McLaren.{{cite web |url=http://www.masterprize.com |title=Masterprize international composing competition 2000 - 2001 |date=8 May 2000 |website=masterprize.com |publisher=Masterprize |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408221513/http://www.masterprize.com/ |archive-date=8 April 2000 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last1=Austin|first1=Sara|title=Masterprize International Composition Competition|url=http://web.esm.rochester.edu/poly/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Masterprize_Comp_Austin.pdf|website=University of Rochester|publisher=Forum of the Symphony Orchestra Institute|access-date=28 September 2021}} The brief for the inaugural competition was "to find new and original works for symphony orchestra with artistic integrity with the potential for broad and lasting appeal". Additional specifications were that the compositional entry should be of a duration of 8 to 12 minutes and that composers could be of any age or nationality.{{cite book|author=American Composers Forum|title=Sounding Board|volume=v. 24|date=1997|url={{Google books|ZLg4AQAAIAAJ|keywords="Masterprize International Composing Competition"|page=8|plainurl=yes}}|page=8|lccn=sn96044497}} For the 2001 competition, the submitted works had to have been scored for orchestral forces of between 50 and 90 players and have a duration of between 6 and 15 minutes.{{cite news |author= |date= |title=Masterprize |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/features/masterprize/index.shtml |work=BBC World Service |location=London |access-date=30 September 2021}} Composers who were awarded first place received a monetary prize of either £25,000 for the 1998 competition, or £30,000 for the 2001 and 2003 competitions, respectively.

The first Masterprize competition which culminated in 1998 was supported by significant institutions, such as the European Broadcasting Union,{{cite news |last=Clements |first=Andrew |date=6 October 2001 |title=New tunes and prizes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/oct/06/books |work=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=13 October 2021 |quote=...or have heard the works broadcast by the BBC and other members of the European Broadcasting Union to determine the winner.}} the BBC orchestras, BBC Radio 3, EMI Records, the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Music Magazine and the Worshipful Company of Musicians.Dam, Julie K.L. [https://web.archive.org/web/20041208100025/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/1998/int/980420/the_arts.music.the_prize21.html " The Prize Is Right"], Time (magazine), 20 April 1998. Retrieved on 13 October 2021. The final round of the competition was held at the Barbican on 7 April 1998 where the London Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Harding performed the six finalist works in full.{{cite news |last=Henken |first=John |date=7 April 1998 |title=Composers' Eyes on Masterprize |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-apr-07-ca-36709-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |access-date=13 October 2021 |quote=The winner will be announced today at a gala concert in London of all six finalists, again played by Harding and the LSO.}} The gala concert was attended by Cherie Blair who presented the winning composers with their prizes.