Julie Ainscough at the Frobenius organ of
All Saints' Parish Church, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey (U.K.).

Photograph: © Copyright 2000 Michael Harrold Artist Management.

Prize-winning composer

Julie Ainscough studied Composition with Professor Antonín Tučapský at Trinity College of Music, London (and won the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Prize for Composition in the year before her admission to Fellowship there). She also undertook a course of study at the London International Film School whilst a student at Trinity College. Post-graduate study followed at the University of London (Goldsmiths' College, Degree of Master of Music in Composition).

She has now been active at the University of Surrey in pursuit of an initial M.Phil. degree, leading to a Ph.D in Composition, since October 2003. This entails submission of a portfolio of original music ("demonstrating a contribution to culture"), comprehensive programme notes on all works submitted (to prove ability in musical analysis) and a short dissertation (of twenty thousand words) on an approved subject. . The transitional review and viva voce were passed with flying colours on Wednesday, the 26th of September 2007, so the Ph.D. is now firmly in sight. She is supervised by the eminent Professor Sebastian Forbes, whose own credentials as a composer and academic are well-established.

The 2009 Guildford International Music Festival saw the première being given of Julie Ainscough's Sonata for Piano on Friday the 20th of March. Although the "8 x 6" concert was planned to include only the first movement, the whole sonata was performed by its Composer - at only ten minutes' notice (!) - to cover alterations to other parts of the programme. 2009 has also seen Julie Ainscough's "Mass In Honour Of Saint Edmund Campion" introduced into regular use. Written for St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Dorking, Surrey, this setting of the Common of the Mass is for congregation (in unison) and organ. A variant of the Mass setting is planned to allow its use in the Anglican Rite and a choral version (SATB) is anticipated also. A number of settings of responsorial psalms (for cantor, congregation and organ) have been written over recent months, the aim being to cover the whole church year eventually.

Julie Ainscough is pleased to have been awarded - in November 2005 - the University of Surrey's David Lovatt Prize for Composition, which entailed professional performance and recording of the submitted work. The prize-winning work is titled "Virgen de la Soledad: cuatro poemas de Federico García Lorca" and is written for soprano voice, clarinet, bass clarinet and percussion. Four of Lorca's enigmatic and surreal poems are set: "Paso", "Camino", "Deseo" and "La Luna Asoma". The première was given in the context of the University's concert series on Wednesday, the Eighth of March 2006 at 1:10 p.m. by the University of Surrey's ensemble-in-residence, Gemini, in Studio One at the University of Surrey's School of Performing Arts.

Julie Ainscough's output of compositions include some highly-effective choral settings (including some mediæval English Christmas texts, Psalm 34 - "De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine" - and "My Beloved Spake", which is based on part of the enigmatic "Song of Songs") plus numerous pieces of chamber music and song settings (of which the "Six Emily Brontë Songs" for soprano, flute and piano and the "Five Gerard Manley Hopkins songs" for baritone and piano are particularly notable). Her interest in serialism is never a barrier to expression: Julie Ainscough's music is written with much commitment and - where text is set - with sensitivity to the meaning, spirit and natural rhythm of the words. A cycle of ten songs has just been completed (again for baritone and piano - details to be published here in due course), while a piece of sacred choral music is in final draft currently.

Julie Ainscough's fastidiousness as a composer and as an all-round performing musician who shows real commitment to the music of others has earned her the approval of numerous colleagues. Perhaps one the most generous tributes to her qualities and to her efforts has come from the eminent former Master of the Music at Westminster Cathedral, Colin Mawby, who composed for her wedding - and directed at the marriage service in July 1988 - a refined setting (for choir, organ plus soprano and bass soloists) of Gerard Manley Hopkins beautiful sonnet, "Let me be to Thee as the circling bird".

"The finest composition student I have ever taught".
(Professor Stanley Glasser, now retired as Professor Emeritus of Goldsmiths' College, University of London).

"I was very delighted with your music, with your progress, with your perseverance, with your devotion...".
(Professor Antonín Tučapský, now retired as Professor Emeritus of Trinity College London).

"Well done! This (the David Lovatt Prize for Composition) is exciting news".
(Professor Sebastian Forbes, University of Surrey - 11/11/2005).