University Composition Winner
Gareth Treseder a music undergraduate at Bristol University is year’s
winner of the Cassoc (The University of Bristol Catholic Autonomous
Students’ Society) Composition Competition.
The commission was a Mass setting for the Roman Catholic ordinary Rite of Mass. Gareth’s setting was chosen unanimously as the winner by the expert judging panel: John Pickard (Senior Lecturer in Music, Bristol University), Richard Jeffrey-Gray (composer for film & television, conductor and Head of Clifton Diocese Music Service) and Nick Burt (composer, conductor; Director of Music at Rugby Parish Church).
Mr Burt said of Gareth’s piece, “In practical terms the vocal lines are sometimes challenging but essentially very singable and would be effective in performance.”
The competition is new to the Cassoc calendar this year and was met with great enthusiasm by a number of potential composers. The submissions display the great difficulty met by some of them in approaching the task of setting the Mass to music.
Writers of music are called upon to compose in varying styles. There is such an importance in ensuring that the setting of sacred text is respectful to the liturgical use demanded of it. However, Gareth seems to have accomplished this as Nick Burt says in his adjudication, “The movements … show an awareness of the meaning of the words and the character of the text in the context of the service as a whole.”
The setting will be sung at Clifton Cathedral at the 11.00 am Solemn Mass on Sunday 8 May. Interest is already growing beyond the competition’s original scope, with several singers having asked to join the cathedral’s choir for the morning. Indeed, any singers are welcome to come along to the rehearsal on Friday 6 at 6.30 pm and on Sunday at 10.00 am if they wish to join.
As well as providing a forum for new music, the competition has helped lead to a greater awareness of Cassoc and Catholicism in the University. It is hoped that in future years the competition will continue to be the great success it has been this year, perhaps even becoming a more regular event. Certainly, interest has already been shown by several composers wishing to enter next year.
Patrick Williams
This article was first published in 'Cassoc News'
Useful URL : http://www.bristol.cassoc.org.uk
The commission was a Mass setting for the Roman Catholic ordinary Rite of Mass. Gareth’s setting was chosen unanimously as the winner by the expert judging panel: John Pickard (Senior Lecturer in Music, Bristol University), Richard Jeffrey-Gray (composer for film & television, conductor and Head of Clifton Diocese Music Service) and Nick Burt (composer, conductor; Director of Music at Rugby Parish Church).
Mr Burt said of Gareth’s piece, “In practical terms the vocal lines are sometimes challenging but essentially very singable and would be effective in performance.”
The competition is new to the Cassoc calendar this year and was met with great enthusiasm by a number of potential composers. The submissions display the great difficulty met by some of them in approaching the task of setting the Mass to music.
Writers of music are called upon to compose in varying styles. There is such an importance in ensuring that the setting of sacred text is respectful to the liturgical use demanded of it. However, Gareth seems to have accomplished this as Nick Burt says in his adjudication, “The movements … show an awareness of the meaning of the words and the character of the text in the context of the service as a whole.”
The setting will be sung at Clifton Cathedral at the 11.00 am Solemn Mass on Sunday 8 May. Interest is already growing beyond the competition’s original scope, with several singers having asked to join the cathedral’s choir for the morning. Indeed, any singers are welcome to come along to the rehearsal on Friday 6 at 6.30 pm and on Sunday at 10.00 am if they wish to join.
As well as providing a forum for new music, the competition has helped lead to a greater awareness of Cassoc and Catholicism in the University. It is hoped that in future years the competition will continue to be the great success it has been this year, perhaps even becoming a more regular event. Certainly, interest has already been shown by several composers wishing to enter next year.
Patrick Williams
This article was first published in 'Cassoc News'
Useful URL : http://www.bristol.cassoc.org.uk
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