Royal Holloway Composition Competition
We are delighted to announce the 24/25 iteration of our Composition Competition, for composers in years 10-13 to have your film score screened at Royal Holloway.
Are you a composer in Year 10 to 13 interested in writing for screen? Do you want to have your score screened as part of end-of-year celebrations at Royal Holloway?
Royal Holloway, University of London is launching a composition competition for young composers. The winners of this competition will have their pieces screened as part of our Film Music programme at Royal Holloway and have the opportunity for individual feedback from our expert composers.
The Brief
There are two film clips for you to choose from:
- One silent film clip
- One nature documentary-style clip
Both are c. three minutes in duration. You can download them here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/wep0y6nsyf0l18ivyjskg/AJE-glnLuB8u_ybUA4vCSnk?rlkey=112l6t9rrbuhg0nscyllkappq&st=mztu0ego&dl=0
You can choose to score the clip however you like, using any combination of virtual or recorded instruments. Please submit your entry as a video file with the music embedded. Include your full name and year group in the filename – e.g. ‘Dan Elphick – year 13’ and upload it via https://www.dropbox.com/request/aAgQ1461gX6bCM9nJWXh There is also our application form for collecting basic details from you (see below).
There are two categories, based on age:
Year 10/11 (i.e. aged between 15 and 16 on 31 August 2025)
Year 12/13 (i.e. aged between 17 and 18 on 31 August 2025)
One winner will be chosen from each category. The winning compositions will receive feedback and a one-to-one mentoring session from Senior Lecturer in Digital Composition, Dr Tom Parkinson.
The winning composers will then be invited to our campus to have their work screened as part of our end-of-year event:
Join the Media Composers' Forum from the Department of Music for the exciting culmination of their Film Scoring Competition, as part of our end-of-year PLAY! Festival. Experience an array of captivating original scores crafted by talented students from across the university to a selection of short extracts from film and television. In this thrilling finale, witness the culmination of creativity as final entries are judged by members of the faculty alongside the enthusiastic participation of the audience, following a Eurovision-style voting format. The event is a celebration of collaboration and creativity. Connect with fellow composers, performers, and potential collaborators in a vibrant atmosphere perfect for networking, socialising, and discussing the fascinating intersection of music and film.
Dates and Timeline
The deadline for sending us your compositions is 23:59 on Friday, 28 March 2025.
The winning scores will be screened in the event listed above, taking place at the end of our summer term. Small travel bursaries are available for winners and will be awarded based on need.
Apply now
Our application form will be launched shortly.
About Music at Royal Holloway
The Royal Holloway Department of Music is one of the largest in the UK, offering a very broad and diverse range of courses, all taught by expert scholars. We are the only Music department in the country to hold a prestigious Regius Professorship, awarded by Her Majesty The Queen. Ranked among the top Music departments in the UK for both our teaching and our research, we also benefit from a vibrant creative campus community. Our Music and Sound Design for Film, Television, and Interactive Media degree has a special focus on scoring for screen and media projects, with industry links including Netflix and Shepperton Film Studios.
For any queries, please email our head of admissions: daniel.elphick@rhul.ac.uk
