West Wicklow Festival and CMC announce Aran O'Grady as winner of 2025 emerging composer competition
Aran O’Grady wins 2025 Composition Competition for Emerging Composers with his piece 'Columns' for solo soprano saxophone.
The emerging composer composition competition is an ongoing partnership presented by the West Wicklow Festival and the Contemporary Music Centre to provide opportunities for emerging composers in Ireland. In 2025 there are two competition categories; the first invited submissions for works for solo soprano saxophone, and the second is for solo viola works. The solo viola competition remains open with submissions accepted up to 22nd September 2025 (find out more).
Composer and arranger Aran O’Grady is from Bray, Co.Wicklow and is currently based in London. His music has been described as ‘expressive, flexible and genuinely original’ (Opera Magazine), and has been performed in France, Singapore, the Netherlands, Michigan (US), and across the UK and Ireland. Aran has been commissioned by Sky Arts, New Music Dublin, the Singapore Biennale, and has had his work performed by Grange Park Opera, Kirkos, Ikigai Trio, Guildhall Opera School, University of Michigan Opera School, Carla Rees, Elizabeth Hilliard, Michelle O’ Rourke, Chatham Sax Quartet and Grégoire Blanc to name a few. He is also the resident composer and arranger for Glasshouse Ensemble. Aran was the recipient of the Irish Heritage Music Bursary for Composition in 2020, and was selected for Making Music UK’s Adopt a Music Creator programme to develop a co-created work with the Southend Vox Chamber Choir for performance in late 2025.
Aran’s winning work ‘Columns’ was inspired by the columns on the façade of Russborough House in County Wicklow. The piece will be premiered on the 10th of May by Irish saxophonist Robert Finegan as part of the West Wicklow Festival Rising Stars Concert at St Mary’s Church in Blessington. Aran will also be interviewed by CMC during the concert, offering an insight into his practice and the development of the winning work.
The Rising Stars Concert is performed by artists Robert Finegan (saxophone), Clara Barbier-Serrano (soprano) and Joanna Kacperek (piano) and includes music by composers Rhona Clarke and Ken Edge, alongside a newly commissioned work by Gráinne Mulvey. To find out more and book tickets visit the West Wicklow Festival website here.
