An amateur Norfolk composer has become a finalist in a BBC competition.
Music created by Clare Welfare, from Dereham, is among the final eight shortlisted compositions on BBC Radio 3’s Christmas Carol Competition, being announced live on December 14.
The 46-year-old was featured in the final four of the 16-plus category of the competition, which is a staple in the Christmas programming on Radio 3.
The carol is set to the words of a poem entitled ‘Polaris’ by the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage.
It's time to choose your winners for the Radio 3 Christmas Carol competition 2023! 🎄✨
— BBC Radio 3 (@BBCRadio3) December 14, 2023
Hear the four shortlisted carols in each category performed by @BBCSingers and vote for your favourites. Voting closes at 6pm on Wednesday 20 December. Read the T+Cs and Privacy Notice below.
“The words of this poem inspired me to write the Carol, as it has interesting themes of nostalgia and the current challenges of our planet,” she said.
“Music has always played a big part in my life but composing is new to me, and this competition felt like an exciting challenge. I am delighted to have been selected as one of the final four in the senior category of the competition.
“To win it would be wonderful and would encourage me to pursue music composition further.”
The Breakfast Christmas Carol Competition 2023, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, was launched in September, with a call out for amateur composers and music lovers in two categories (11-15 & 16+) to send tunes or melodies to new lyrics by the Poet Laureate.
The submitted entries have been listened to by a prestigious judging panel including figures such as Clive Myrie, presenter of Blue Peter Mwaksy Mudenda, Daniel Hyde - Director of Music at King’s College, Cambridge – and Beverley McGeown, who runs Open Arts Community Choir in Northern Ireland.
Chairing this year’s panel is Abimbola Amoako-Gyampah from the Coronation Gospel Choir, who performed at the Coronation of King Charles III.
The final winners (one in each category) will be announced on BBC Radio 3 Breakfast on Thursday, December 21.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here