Gareth Williams receives nominations for awards for his works in Scotland and Canada
Irish Composer Gareth Williams has received nominations for awards for two of his music theatre works. The composer is nominated for a CATS award (Critics’ Award for Theatre in Scotland) for his musical 306:Dawn, and has received nine nominations for Tapestry Opera’s production of his opera Rocking Horse Winner in the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts Dora Awards.
306:Dawn was written for the National Theatre of Scotland as part of 14–18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, and has been entered for an award in the best music and sound category. The musical charts the journey of three of the British soldiers who were executed for cowardice, desertion and mutiny during World War I (1914–18).
The musical featured Scottish new music group, the Red Note Ensemble, and was performed in 2016 in a transformed barn in the Perthshire countryside.
Gareth Williams:
In 306:Dawn, music making and singing help the characters to be brave at times, to be united at times, and to make decisions. Songs allow them to emote, to grieve and to mourn. I’m so pleased that the way we chose to tell the unknown and often deliberately hidden stories of these World War 1 soldiers has been recognised with a CATS nomination. The nomination encouraged us as we made 306:Day, which is currently touring Scotland, and while we develop the ideas for 306:Dusk, the final part of this music theatre trilogy.
The 306: Dawn - Trailer from National Theatre of Scotland on Vimeo.
The awards will be announced on 11 June in Edinburgh. More information on the awards here.
The other work by Gareth Williams, Rocking Horse Winner, is a co-commission between Tapestry Opera and Scottish Opera, and has received a host of nominations including Outstanding New Musical/Opera for Williams' score. The opera is a modern adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s short story with a libretto by Anna Chatterton and was performed in Toronto by Tapestry Opera June of last year. The awards will be announced on 26 June. More information on the awards here.