Interview

Composing the Future – Winner Announced

Congratulations Colin Spiers

Composer/pianist, Colin Spiers, has been awarded the top prize in our new composition competition, Composing the Future. This is a new initiative by the Sydney International Piano Competition (The Sydney) with support from Creative Partnerships Australia Plus 1.

Applications called for Australian composers during the second half of 2021, inviting them to submit a new or unpublished solo piano piece for consideration by a panel of eminent Australian pianists – Tamara Anna Cislowska, Kristian Chong Daniel de Borah, Bernadette Harvey and Ian Munro. The panel, chaired by The Sydney’s Artistic Director, Piers Lane AO, had a difficult task ahead of them as they listened and played through all 94 submissions which were supplied to the jury without the composers’ names.

Piers Lane said, ‘It is extraordinary to think there are now almost a hundred new Australian piano pieces available as a result of this competition. The range of styles was striking – something for everyone – and I hope many of the works will find performers and listeners in the near future.’

Queensland born, with a teaching career in New South Wales, but now resident in Victoria, Colin Spiers was awarded the first prize of $20,000 with his winning composition titled ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’, which is a work inspired by a surrrealist painting. It’s in four movements, just under twenty minutes in length and is dazzling pianistically. Mr Spiers’ work will receive a world premiere by Italian/Slovenian pianist Alexander Gadjiev, the winner of the 2021 Sydney International Online Piano Competition, during his national tour in October and November this year. Click here to book.

Mr Spiers said, ‘I would like to say what an honour it has been to receive an award in the inaugural Composing the Future. As a pianist I have always been passionate about the instrument and in expanding its already considerable repertoire. So that the opportunity this competition has provided and its close links with the Sydney International Piano Competition have been an extremely important one for the instrument’s continuing evolution both in Australia and internationally in the 21st Century.’

‘I would like to stress that, while winning competitions is a great boost for one’s sense of self worth, in this case the opportunity that the award provides to have ones music performed by a world class pianist and actually be heard by a wider audience is even more important.’

Click here to read more about Colin Spiers.

Five other entries were awarded cash prizes of $2,000 each and will be given public performances by the jury pianists during 2022, to mark the 45th anniversary of The Sydney. For performance dates, please check our website here.

Jury Comments

First Prize Winner – Acceptance Video

A message from Piers Lane AO