A Song for the Commonwealth
Joint winners announced!
We are delighted to announce our winners of A Song for the Commonwealth after a rigorous competition including lyricists and composers from across the entire Commonwealth.
We were delighted to receive so many excellent, meaningful entries. Every single piece of work has been carefully read or listened to by our panel of esteemed and distinguished adjudicators before the winners were chosen.
A song for the Commonwealth
Music by: Vincent Atueyi Chinemelu
Lyrics by: Lucy Kiely
Performed by: Sacha Dow (treble), Charlotte Potter (Soprano), Elisha Jade (Soprano), Leyla Ruby (Soprano), Clare Sutherland (Alto), Stephen Mike Chidi (Tenor), Toby Hession (Bass), Patrick Owston (Bass), Joaquim Badia (Backing track)
Produced by: Tom Bell
Our two winners are…
Lucy Kiely
Lyricist
To be selected as the winning lyricist on the unique occasion of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is a once-in-a-lifetime honour and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the winning composer. I am thrilled that my lyrics ‘A Life Lived With Grace’ will be performed by choirs and community singers as the Beacons are lit throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth on 2nd June 2022, in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s extraordinary 70-year reign.
Lucy Kiely is a 30-year-old singer songwriter from Sydney, Australia with a passion for jazz. After graduating from the University of Sydney, Lucy wrote, recorded and independently released two EPs and one LP of all original material inspired by her travels and life experiences. Lucy’s releases have enjoyed worldwide exposure across a variety of platforms. These days Lucy performs regularly as a vocalist, is writing her second full-length album and is currently a semi-finalist across nine different categories in the 2021 UK Songwriting Contest.
Vincent Atueyi Chinemelu
Composer
My joy rests on the fact that my humble effort has led to a gigantically bountiful harvest. I am so glad that my little song has attained a universal relevance and will cement the love and bond shared by all the peoples of the world as the song is sung as the Beacons are lit throughout the UK and the Commonwealth in celebration of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on 2nd June 2022. I am happy that through our song, with the lyrics written by my friend Lucy Kiely, the love, peace and harmony promoted by the Commonwealth of Nations through their involvement in The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons will become indelible in our minds and more real in our lives.
Vincent is a 38-year-old academic musician from Anambra State, Nigeria. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the piano, flute, cello, trumpet, alto-sax and guitar and in 2021 he received the Department Award of Excellence from the University of Uyo, Nigeria after studying there for 5 years. Ordained as a Roman Catholic Priest in 2011 after his Theological studies, Vincent is credited with over a hundred religious, art and secular vocal music compositions, 30 piano works, arranged and composed orchestral pieces and musical solos. Presently, he has returned to the St. Dominic Savio Seminary in Akpu, Nigeria as Music Director again whilst preparing to further his studies in music to Master and Doctorate levels.
The adjudicators
The Rt Hon. Patricia Scotland QC
Commonwealth Secretary-General
Roderick Williams OBE
Baritone
Judith Weir CBE
Master of the Queen’s Music
Alison Cox OBE
Founder and Chair of Trustees, The Commonwealth Resounds / Head of Composition, The Purcell School for Young Musicians.
Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR
Pageantmaster, The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons
Anne T. Gallagher AO
Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation
Graham Trew MVO
Baritone, former Chairman of the Association of English Singers and Speakers.