Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Will Everitt won first prize with composition 'Winter's Lights', in the Songwriting category for Guildhall Young Artists competition, 'RELEASE'.
Will, Age 17 says: "Winter’s Lights was inspired by the serene winter landscapes of the northern hemisphere, and the phenomenon of the Northern Lights in particular. In this piece I try to paint a picture of this landscape, and the Northern Lights. The piece is written for solo treble, string orchestra and electronics, and I used Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening as the text, as I found it to be particularly emotionally relevant to the mood I wanted to create. As the core idea of the piece originated from an improvisatory sound world rather than from the text, I adapted certain accompanying moments in the piece to be more subliminally juxtaposed to the emotions portrayed by the voice, as I wanted to convey the slight sense of longing and loneliness of the winter landscapes."
In March 2021, all 1,600 students who access a Saturday music school across the Guildhall Young Artists network, including Junior Guildhall and the Centre for Young Musicians, were invited to submit a composition to four categories: Songwriting, Digital Media, Music to Picture and Concert Music. As well as cash prizes for the top 3 compositions in each category, participants could also win other prizes including an online masterclass with an industry leading artist.
Will Everitt won first prize with composition 'Winter's Lights', in the Songwriting category for Guildhall Young Artists competition, 'RELEASE'.
Will, Age 17 says: "Winter’s Lights was inspired by the serene winter landscapes of the northern hemisphere, and the phenomenon of the Northern Lights in particular. In this piece I try to paint a picture of this landscape, and the Northern Lights. The piece is written for solo treble, string orchestra and electronics, and I used Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening as the text, as I found it to be particularly emotionally relevant to the mood I wanted to create. As the core idea of the piece originated from an improvisatory sound world rather than from the text, I adapted certain accompanying moments in the piece to be more subliminally juxtaposed to the emotions portrayed by the voice, as I wanted to convey the slight sense of longing and loneliness of the winter landscapes."
In March 2021, all 1,600 students who access a Saturday music school across the Guildhall Young Artists network, including Junior Guildhall and the Centre for Young Musicians, were invited to submit a composition to four categories: Songwriting, Digital Media, Music to Picture and Concert Music. As well as cash prizes for the top 3 compositions in each category, participants could also win other prizes including an online masterclass with an industry leading artist.
