BASCA award to Hughes for <em>Chaconne for Jonathan Harvey</em>

Congratulations to Ed Hughes, who has won the Liturgical category of the BASCA Awards for his composition Chaconne for Jonathan Harvey for solo organ.

The work is in memory of Jonathan Harvey, for whom Hughes acted as amanuensis for his final choral composition Plainsongs for Peace and Light, in the summer of 2012. The Chaconne has references to two Harvey pieces: Hughes quotes plainsong from Plainsongs for Peace and Light, and a chord pattern from The Angels (a choral work written in 1995). Simon Darlow, BASCA Chairman, said: 'BASCA set up the British Composers Awards to shine a light on new music composition and it's great that once again the list of winning works demonstrates the diverse and vibrant creativity that exists in the UK. Congratulations to all tonight's winning composers.' Chaconne for Jonathan Harvey was commissioned by Christophe Batchelor for the 2013 London Festival of Contemporary Church Music and was first performed by Michael Waldron on 15 April 2013 at St Pancras Church, London, at choral evensong. The premiere was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Full details of the BASCA evening at Goldsmith's Hall, at which Evelyn Glennie spoke and presented the awards, are on the BASCA website.

Ed Hughes with Dame Evelyn Glennie. Credit: Mark Allan