online list of prize-winning musical works by Paul Ayres
an index of pieces that have been awarded prizes, or received special mentions, or that have been shortlisted, in competitions and calls-for-scores
for the complete catalogue of works, click HERE
for a list of commissioned musical works by Paul Ayres, click HERE
if you are interested in commissioning new music from Paul, click HERE
reverse chronological order (date of prize)
click on the title of each piece for more information
2023
Make us instruments of thy peace
selected for Sonore Chamber Choir's call for scores (Indonesia)
Prelude for trombone and piano
shortlisted for SOLA call for scores (Japan)
2022
Love is the spirit of this place
first prize in Weiger-Lepke-Sims Family Sacred Music Award hosted by the American Harp Society
Mass for Two Voices
Veni Emmanuel
shortlisted for JAM (John Armitage Memorial Trust) call for scores
2021
Mass for Two Voices
shortlisted for Red Jasper Award for Music Composition
Where'er you walk
joint first prize in Making Music Award Best arranger for leisure-time music group
Covidea I
selected for Kyle Pearl's call for scores for solo cello
Two-Part Inventions on Nursery Rhymes
selected for Beth Ratay's call for scores for piccolo duet
Moon Sister
selected for a very small consortium's call for scores for miniature pieces
2020
A Conversation on the Way to the Restaurant
selected for Ryne Siesky's call for scores for piano pieces
We'll Play Our Part
joint winner of Harlequin Chamber Choir's Corona-Composer competition
Dog and Cat
selected for Green Opera's call for proposals for new micro-operas
Every Day Is a Gift
honorable mention in Missoula Community Chorus's The Way Through: A Composition Competition in the Time of COVID-19
Mark Zuckerberg Wants To Be My Friend On Facebook
first prize in Gifford Children's Choir Making a Better World Through Choral Composition Prize
Cinco Lobitos
third prize in Associazione musicale e corale Coro Contrà Camolli composition prize
When we sing together
third prize in the University Park UMC (Dallas) choral composition competition
The School Boy
selected work in Felicity Mazur-Park's Summer Songs Call for Scores
portfolio of compositions including Call it Grace and I would rather die than hate you
shortlisted for Cathedral Singers of Christ Church Oxford commission competition
portfolio of compositions including Anti-Suffragist Reasons and Take O take
shortlisted for Chelsea Hollow's Voice for the Voiceless project
due to copyright issues with the chosen text the planned commission could not be realised
For I will consider my cat Jeoffrey
shortlisted for RCO composition competition
Covidea III
shortlisted for Tim Knight Music's call for scores
Covidea II
selected for David Bohn's call for scores for melodica
2019
I stand upon the seashore
first prize in Six Degree Singers composition competition
My spirit longs for thee
second prize in Presbyterian Association of Musicians' anthem competition
Washington Toccata
second prize in Washington AGO chapter composition competition
2018
The quality of mercy is not strained
third prize in Corinfesta 2nd International Competition for Choral Composition
2017
For Sale
shortlisted for Hartford Opera Theater's New in November competition
2016
For Sale
second prize in the Ivan Spassov composing competition
Miserere mei Deus
for choir
shortlisted (semifinalist) and received a judges' commendation in the Elysian Singers' Psalmfest competition
Mostly Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor
for organ
second prize in Seattle AGO's Bach to the Future competition
When I consider thy heavens
for choir SATB and organ
shortlisted in John Armitage Memorial Concert call for scores
2015
Just So: Tegumai's Tales
opera/musical
selected for performance in Bluegrass Opera's call for scores
Almighty Framer of the Skies
for choir SATB and organ
runner-up in Hendrix College Candelight Carol Competition
The players ask for a blessing
for choir SSA
winner of first International Choral Music Competition "Festa de la Música Coral" Barcelona (female-voice choirs category)
I am love
for choir SATB
shortlisted for Cro Patria Choral Composition Competition Croatia
Five Senses
for choir SSATB
shortlisted for Cro Patria Choral Composition Competition Croatia
2014
Hodie nobis de caelo pax
for choir SSATB and organ
shortlisted for British Composer Awards
I asked for Peace
for choir SSA or three solo voices
second prize in AlpenChorFestival Internationaler Kompositionswettbewerb Switzerland
The isle is full of noises
for choir SATB and piano
first prize in Edwin Fissinger Composition Competition at North Dakota State University
The isle is full of noises
for choir SATB and piano
second prize in Meistersingers California's Knapp Award
On this mountain
for choir SATB and organ
first prize in Freudig Singers of Western New York's international composition competition
2013
Just So: Tegumai's Tales
opera/musical
shortlisted project in North Cambridge (Massachusetts) Family Opera commission competition
Mr Noah's Packing List
children's voices
fourth prize in Cambiata Composition Initiative
Nick a ting tock a ting
women's voices
second prize in Croatian Choral Directors' Association "Sounds of June" competition
Wish you were here
flexible scoring
one of the selected piece for Redshift Music Postal Pieces project Vancouver
It came upon the midnight clear
choir SATB and piano
runner-up prize in the New Haven Oratorio Choir composition competition
2012
Loughborough Cantata
for choir SATB and piano
winner of the Loughborough University Olympics Composing Competition
Fantasia 150
for organ
first prize in Harrison & Harrison composition competition
O praise ye the Lord
choir, organ and percussion
first prize Union University Tennessee Benjamin Britten Centenary Composition Competition
Morning so fair to see
hymn
winner of Unitarian-Universalist Musicians' Network Vincent Silliman Prize
I give you the end of a golden string
SATB voices
joint second place in William Blake Society Tithe Grant competition
Red red rose
for choir SATB
selected for performance from San Francisco Choral Artists' call for scores
2011
This is the Day
unaccompanied choir
second place in "Choir Laboratory XXI Century" Composer Competition (Russia)
Take O take those lips away
solo voice
selected for performance from Vox Novus' 15-minutes-of-fame call for scores
2010
Green Suite
for organ
first prize in Brindley & Foster composition competition
Finchley Service
choir and congregation/assembly
honourable mention in Foundation for Sacred Arts' composition competition
2009
Deilig er den himmel blå (Beautiful the azure sky)
for choir SSAATTBB
semifinalist in Choral Arts Ensemble Rochester's call for scores
Come let us sing together
for choir SSA and organ
first prize in Emma Willard School centenary composition competition
2008
Toccata Duo
for any melody instrument and organ
second prize in AGO's Organ Spectacular composition competition
2007
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
for organ
joint first prize in the New Zealand Association of Organists' composition competition
When I consider thy heavens
for choir
shortlisted for Fort Worth First UMC's Outside the Bachs competition
2005
The Stolen Moon
children's opera
shortlisted for British Composer Awards
Te lucis ante terminum
for choir SSATB
shortlisted in John Armitage Memorial Concert call for scores
Te lucis / The Spring / Red red rose
portfolio of choral works
winner of Esoterics Seattle Polyphonos International Commission Prize
2004
Exite Fideles
for organ
selected in the Society for the Promotion of New Music call for scores
Fairies' Song
for upper-voice choir
selected in the Society for the Promotion of New Music call for scores
2003
It came upon the midnight clear
for choir and piano
honourable mention in Amadeus Choir of Toronto Composition Prize
So hallow'd and so gracious is the time
for choir and piano
first prize in Amadeus Choir of Toronto Composition Prize
2002
The Princess and the Goblin
musical
shortlisted for workshop performance in Greenwich Theatre's Musical Futures Festival
The Lord my pasture shall prepare
for choir and organ
"highly commended" in the RSCM's Harold Smart Composition Prize
Ecce sacerdos magnus
for choir and three trumpets
selected for performance in John Armitage Memorial Concert call for scores
2001
Outwithin
for voices
"recommended for performance" in Jihlava Music Festival call for scores Czech Republic
Fable
for voice and ensemble
semi-finalist in the Tampa Bay Composers' Forum call for scores
Poor Fish
for voice and piano
"recognition of excellence" in the Diana Barnhart American Song Competition
2000
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel
for voices and accompaniment
special mention in RSCM's Harold Smart Composition Prize
Heidelberg Music
for violin, clarinet, cello and piano
selected work / finalist in Surrey Sinfonietta call-for-scores
1999
Sonatina / Banquet / Springtime Round
portfolio of existing works plus newly-created computer-generated score
third prize in Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur Canada
The Ballad of the Boys of Bighorn O'Malley / Pastrio
portfolio of works plus proposal for new piece
shortlisted for Purcell School's Ralph Vaughan Williams Prize Commission
1996
Hymnus Amoris
for choir and ensemble
finalist in the Richard Gregson-Williams Memorial Prize
Heidelberg Music
for violin, cello, clarinet and piano
shortlisted for Cambridge Contemporary Music Festival Prize
Sonatina
for violin and piano
shortlisted for Match Composition Prize
1995
après-garde
for chamber ensemble (strings, one each of trumpet, flute, clarinet and oboe)
finalist in the Richard Gregson-Williams Memorial Prize
jollymerry
unison voices, oboe and string quartet
"highly commended" in BBC Composing for Children Prize
jollymerry
unison voices, oboe and string quartet
shortlisted for Jackdaws Educational Trust Prize
1994
The Three Kings
for any voices
joint prize prize in the Amadeus Choir of Toronto Composition Prize
Winter is icummen in
for choir SATBdiv
shortlisted for Barbara Johnstone Prize
1991
The Ballad of the Boys of Bighorn O'Malley
chamber opera (cast of 10 / 8 instruments)
finalist in BBC Young Composer of the Year competition