We are excited to announce the MRF Award Scheme & Commission, 2026. If you are a composer aged between 14 and 17 read on…
THE COMMISSION
This year we will be commissioning our awarded composers to create new works for string quartet. We are very pleased to be partnering again this year with the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music, London (RCMJD). The events in the first part of this scheme will take place in London, at RCM’s rehearsal rooms and performance hall.
Each successful awarded young composer will be commissioned to write a short piece (maximum two minutes performance time), for string quartet, to be performed by London Chamber Ensemble Quartet.The writing may include extended techniques but these must not involve harming the instruments in any way.
Selection of the successful applicants in early January ’26 will be followed by an introduction to string quartet by London Chamber Ensemble Quartet (LCEQ). The award will fund individual lessons in composition from a designated MRF mentor-composer. The pieces will be workshopped in mid-February along with pieces by the RCM Junior Department composers. The premieres of all the pieces will be at a concert at RCM in March. A recording will be made of each re and provided to the award holder. All events at RCM will be on Saturdays.
Included with the Scheme, is the MRF Come and Sing – Come and Play Festival day – on Sunday April 19th at St Lawrence Church, Alton, Hampshire. This is the second part of the scheme and will feature a second performance of the compositions by our award-holders ’26, pieces by MRF alumni, and pieces by other contemporary composers. Ahead of all the in-person events under this scheme, by way of introduction. MRF mentors will meet with you and your cohort of award-holders on Zoom, in early January.
TO APPLY for an MRF AWARD, if you will be between 14 & 17 this academic year…
Go to: www.martinreadfoundation.org
On the opening page: News and Events, click REGISTRATION.
You will be asked to consent to MRF holding your contact details. If you do, please continue with
the form and write a short description telling us a bit about you, your aspirations and how you
would hope to use any funds, your compositional experience so far and how you heard about
MRF.
You will then need to submit 3 documents:
• 2 contrasting compositions, each maximum 3 mins length.
• A reference from a music teacher who is aware of your interest in composition
Please send us your best recent pieces, either complete pieces or substantial works in progress so
we can get to know you as a composer. These DO NOT need to have been composed for string quartet.
Application DEADLINE – end of Friday 26th December 2025