June Emerson Wind Music Launchpad Prize

We're absolutely delighted to announce that the 2022 Launchpad Prize has been awarded to...

VULCAN BRASS
(Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama)
Vulcan Brass was founded at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in late 2021 and in their short time together have won numerous awards. In March 2022, the quartet won the prestigious Philip Jones Brass Ensemble Prize, and then in June 2022 they were awarded the June Emerson Launchpad Prize, in performances championing both classic brass quartet repertoire and new contemporary works. Their success has resulted in playing for HRH Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) at the opening of Hay Castle in July 2022 and they look forward to more performances in the future.

NORTHERN REEDS
(Royal Northern College of Music)
Consisting of recent graduates of RNCM and founded in 2019, Northern Reeds is the UK’s first established reed quintet. They are the winners of the RNCM Fewkes Chamber Prize 2022, the June Emerson Wind Music Launchpad Prize 2022, and recently became the first UK group to be admitted into Calefax’s International Reed Quintet Network. The group have performed in venues all over the North-West including Hallé St Peters, Ambleside Parish Centre, and Whitworth Art Gallery. In 2020, the group had the opportunity to work alongside Calefax in judging their Calefax Composers Competition. Alongside this, Northern Reeds has commissioned new works for reed quintet by RNCM composers and in 2021 they premiered works by Kev Wong, Dominic Wills and Ruiyao Li.

For news, performances and updates, go to the Launchpad Prize Facebook Page

About the Prize

The Launchpad Prize was an idea that began as a desire to help young musicians in some significant way. With our limited financial resources it was difficult to come up with something that would make enough of a difference to make it worthwhile. The idea of sponsoring a prize at one of the UK music colleges was something we just couldn't afford, and we also felt that we'd like to offer something to more that just one college and be a little more 'hands on'. We eventually decided that we would assist one young (predominantly) final year wind ensemble from each of the 7 major UK music colleges to launch themselves onto the professional circuit.

First awarded in 2009, the Launchpad Prize consists of practical help, including: a substantial JEWM music voucher, dedicated space on the JEWM website, publicity at any time through our online media channels (our blog, Twitter, Facebook etc.), editorial coverage wherever possible, unlimited free paper advertising inserted into music orders, exclusive access to the JEWM shop with use of all music and facilities, complimentary copies of all current and future Emerson Edition publications which fit their instrumental line-up and anything else we can think of!