Two local composers were recently awarded the top prizes in a music competition, held to find new and original music to be played during secular ceremonies.

Composers Malcolm Stitt and David Kilgallon were judged to have won the two main categories in the competition, run by the Isle of Man Freethinkers organisation, winning a prize of £750 for the best lament, and also being awarded £1,000 for a full composition commission.

Owen Williams won the prize for the best composition written by an under 21 year old, and a special award was presented to Frank Joughin who, aged 10 years old, was the youngest composer to enter.

The aim of the competition was to produce a suite of short pieces of music for a new annual, secular commemoration ceremony for war victims.

The criteria stipulated that any entry must be a lament or slow air, playable on acoustic instruments by no more than four musicians of average ability.

The winning tunes will be used annually as the ceremony evolves, with varying groups of musicians invited to perform each year.

Stuart Hartill, of Isle of Man Freethinkers, said that they received many entries, and the judges were left with a difficult choice.

’There was an extremely high standard of entry, and great stylistic variety, giving the judges some tough decisions’, said Stuart.

’We would love to reward all the entrants but that just isn’t possible.’

The winners have been invited to perform at the ceremony, which will take place at the Villa Marina on the evening of Monday, November 11.

The full commissioned composition will be performed in its entirety in 2020.

The Isle of Man Freethinkers

are a local group for atheists, agnostics and humanists who promote free speech, tolerance and non-religious ceremonies.

Stuart said that the group can also offer the music from the remaining finalists for people to use during other secular ceremonies.

For more details, and to obtain the use of the original ceremonial music, contact Stuart at [email protected]