Assistant Director of Music James Davy wins top prize as a composer - 23/7/2010
Assistant Director of Music James Davy has won the Choir & Organ Composition Competition 2010 with Domine clamavi, a setting of words from Ps. 141.
Since coming to Blackburn in 2006, James has been asked to write a number of works for the choirs at the Cathedral by Director of Music Richard Tanner, starting with a piece for a Radio 4 Broadcast on his second Sunday in post.
Speaking to Choir & Organ magazine, who ran the competition in association with the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, James said: "This piece focuses on the reflective aspect of worship. At the cathedral, psalms are part of our daily tradition. In these particular verses there's a lot that sums up worship, and music for it – it is quiet and reflective in nature, rather than triumphal. For me it expresses an aspect of worship that often goes by unnoticed, and that is certainly underrated.'
The competition was judged by Gabriel Jackson, John McCabe, Andrew Nethsingha, John Rutter, and the editor of Choir & Organ. The premiere will given in November by the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, directed by Andrew Nethsingha.
