This year’s competitors, who produced an extraordinarily strong field of submissions, were challenged with the poem Earth grown old, by Christina Rossetti:
Earth grown old, yet still so green,
Deep beneath her crust of cold
Nurses fire unfelt, unseen:
Earth grown old.
We who live are quickly told:
Millions more lie hid between
Inner swathings of her fold.
When will fire break up her screen?
When will life burst thro’ her mould?
Earth, earth, earth, thy cold is keen,
Earth grown old.
This year’s winner was Zoe Dixon, who studies at New College, Worcester. Her setting was performed at two College carol services at the end of Michaelmas Term, once in the presence of the composer.
Director of Music, Thomas Allery, said: ‘We were really delighted with the quality of all of the submissions, but Zoe’s stands out for its sympathetic and natural setting of the text, and the choir very much enjoyed putting it together.’
The Worcester College Carol Competition is an annual invitation to young composers (under the age of 26); each year, a new text is chosen. Stay tuned for news of next year’s competition!
