Commonwealth International Composition Award

In association with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and the Purcell School for Young Musicians

Do you want to learn how to compose music?

A Connected Commonwealth is a Composing Commonwealth!

Her Excellency, Baroness Patricia Scotland

Secretary-General of the Commonwealth

I have no doubt that the Composition Award will flourish and deliver some life-changing experiences for young people across the globe.

Paul Bambrough

Principal of the Purcell School, the oldest specialist music school on the Commonwealth

We are so excited about this initiative for young people!

Luis Dias

Musical Director, Child's Play, India

Composition is a very special and personal thing. I am excited to see what the results will be from the four pilot countries!

Geoff Parkin

Artistic Director, Royal Over-Seas League and Patron of the Commonwealth Resounds

I am delighted to hear that you are continuing to promote music within the Commonwealth, focusing upon its youth.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN

Latest news

Winner of the CICA Announced

Winner of the CICA Announced

We are delighted to announce the winner of the Commonwealth International Award 2022 is Devon Packer from Canada. Devon Packer is a 16 year old pianist who lives in Montréal, Canada. He has been studying piano at the McGill Conservatory of Music since the age of 5....

Winners of the Commonwealth International Composition Award 2022

Winners of the Commonwealth International Composition Award 2022

We are delighted to announce the winner of the Commonwealth International Composition Award 2022. The Grand Final was held in the Princess Alexandra Hall, Royal Over-Seas League last week. Two panels of adjudicators made up of distinguished professionals and young...

CICA audience vote

CICA audience vote

Young people from all over the world submitted their works to the 2021 / 2022 Commonwealth International Composition Award. There were many wonderful entries, and it was difficult to choose a shortlist of ten pieces. These will be performed in the Grand Final on...

Commonwealth International Composition Award Finalists 2022

Commonwealth International Composition Award Finalists 2022

We are so excited to announce the shortlist for The Commonwealth International Composition Award 2022! We are really proud of all the young composers this year and were amazed by the high standard of all the entries. Congratulations to everyone who has been...

Commonwealth International Composition Award – Grand Final

Commonwealth International Composition Award – Grand Final

The Grand final of the Commonwealth International Composition Award will take place at 6pm on Friday 4th March 2022. Ten wonderful pieces by our shortlisted young composers from all over the world, mentored by advanced students from the Royal Northern College of Music...

Entries Open for 2022 Composition Award

Entries Open for 2022 Composition Award

Entries are now open for the 2022 Commonwealth International Composition Award The Commonwealth International Composition Award is a competition now in its third year, which aims to encourage young musicians to write their own music, and to give young composers the...

CICA Audience Vote is LIVE!

The Commonwealth International Composition Award Audience Vote is now live! Well done to all of our young composers for writing such fantastic pieces! All were inspired by poems written by poets from around the Commonwealth: Dance Craze by Kendel Hippolyte (St Lucia)...

Final Shortlist Announced

We are delighted to announce the final shortlist for our First Commonwealth International Composition Award in association with ABRSM and The Purcell School. The number and standard of entries was extremely high and the judges were very impressed with every single...