🎉 Competition Announcement – BASBWE Composition Competition 2025 🎉
We are delighted to announce that Henry Rankin has been named the winner of the BASBWE Composition Competition 2025 with his outstanding work Silk Town.
From a strong international field of entries, Silk Town stood out for its balance of accessibility, craftsmanship and expressive detail – perfectly reflecting BASBWE’s mission to champion imaginative new music for wind orchestra.
Henry studied at the University of Manchester and the Royal Northern College of Music, and works as a composer, arranger and violinist across both concert and media settings. Silk Town was premiered by the Macclesfield Concert Band in 2025 and now enters an exciting new chapter following this award.
We warmly congratulate Henry on this remarkable achievement and look forward to sharing a new recording of Silk Town and news of a publishing deal later this year!
🔗 Find out more about Henry’s work: henryrankin.com
#BASBWE #CompositionCompetition #WindOrchestra #NewMusic #BritishComposers
The adjudication panel described the piece as:
✨ “Very well crafted and enjoyable”
✨ “A rewarding challenge for intermediate-level ensembles”
✨ “A clear, engaging and tuneful score with plenty of depth”
They also praised its distinctly British soundworld, enriched with folk and carol-like touches, alongside vibrant colour and rhythmic vitality.
