Double Win for RCM Composers

Monday 19 November 2012

RCM alumni have scooped both awards at one of Europe’s leading festivals of sound and media. They were cheered by the current crop of RCM Composition for Screen students at the Soundtrack_Cologne 9.0 award ceremony, which took place in Germany on Saturday 17 November.

RCM Composition for Screen graduate and now RCM professor Enrica Sciandrone won the Peer Raben Award for the best music to a short film. The Jury commented that the film, ‘Suckablood’, “possesses a musical arc that compliments the time structure of the film” and that Erica “pays homage to classic 70s horror scores while also creates a contemporary interpretation of the horror genre.” Enrica's entry was chosen from an unprecedented 320 nominations. 

The European Talent Award was awarded to RCM Composition for Screen graduate John Chua from Singapore. The jury said that they decided to give the award to John Chua because “he has demonstrated great creativity and originality while also being brave… The score shows a strong vision, individual perspective and his immense potential for the future.” This is the second time a graduate of the RCM has won this award, following on from Martin Batchelar's success in 2010.

Organised by the Cologne Congress for Music and Sound in Film and Media, SoundTrack_Cologne is the German festival of music and sound in film and media, which has developed into one of Europe’s most important screen music events. Eighteen current students of the RCM Composition for Screen Programme attended the 2012 awards ceremony as part of a group study visit to Germany, sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

The RCM Composition for Screen programme is internationally renowned as one of the world’s leading training programmes for film and TV composers. For more information and sample videos see http://www.rcm.ac.uk/screen