The results of the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award 2024

Comments by Mark-Anthony Turnage, judge

Jingyu Chen’s Nebula. This piece is, again, very beautifully scored, like everything. This had something that I found very touching. I didn’t see that when I selected the piece – I knew it was a strong piece but I didn't see that. That’s the thing about reading scores. With all these pieces it comes off the page when you actually hear it with the orchestra. It’s a very interesting skill – and this sounds almost derogatory but it’s not – to almost be sentimental but not quite. And that’s a really hard thing to do, and she does it really well.
So there was something very touching, and actually quite moving about some of the chords. I loved harmony. I found that both in the rehearsal and in the performance, and I think the last section is very special, the final bars are beautifully paced.

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First Prize to Jingyu Chen’s Nebula. Congratulations.