Violinist Clara Satherley has scooped this year's 2024 Anthony Ritchie Composition Prize for her piece, 'Through The Mountain Way'.
Professor Ritchie, who is also one of the competition's judges and the Head of the School of Performing Arts at University of Otago, spoke to Three to Seven's Bryan Crump about the origin of the competition before announcing Satherley as this year's winner on-air.
"It's a very atmospheric piece, very beautiful. And it's kind of unusual, she uses some interesting combinations. I can see a compositional voice emerging there.
"I can't think of too many other pieces like it ... the closest relative might be Sibelius."
The award, founded in 2011 and supported by Professor Ritchie, recognises talented young composers based in Otago and Southland.
The composers must be under 25 years old and write for an orchestra. Professor Ritchie says the winner will show, "excellence, signs of originality and development of ideas, structure and a certain 'X' factor".
The annual competition, now in its 14th year, awards $1000 in prize money and will see Satherley working with the musical director/conductor of the Dunedin Youth Orchestra who will perform 'Through The Mountain Way' later this year.
Professor Anthony Ritchie (left). Photo: Pete Monk Photography
