Many congratulations to Laura Bowler and Héloïse Werner’s The Hermes Experiment, who were announced as winners of the 2021 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards.
Laura Bowler’s ‘wicked problems’ won in the ‘Chamber-Scale Composition’ category, which is awarded to ‘an outstandingly imaginative and engaging chamber-scale work receiving its first UK performance’.
The work was described by the RPS as “a dazzling gymnastic display for voice and bass flute, premiered by the composer herself and flautist Ruth Morley at Aberdeenshire’s ‘sound’ festival. It casts us into unchartered sonic territory, and confronts the future consequences of climate change with virtuosity, fury and darkly-glimmering wit.”
You can listen to wicked problems on Youtube here.
Contemporary quartet The Hermes Experiment won in the 'Young Artist' category, which is awarded to 'a solo performing artist or chamber ensemble, relatively new to the profession, who has shown remarkable promise and made a strong impression'. It features our very own Héloïse Werner as co-director and soprano, alongside harpist Anne Denholm, clarinetist Oliver Pashley and double bassist Marianne Schofield. Their new album 'Song' was released last week and is available to listen here.
A full list of winners is available here.
To watch the ceremony, which was hosted by RPS Chief Executive James Murphy and Katie Derham at Wigmore Hall, tune into Youtube on Tuesday 9th November. You can also listen to a special RPS Awards show on BBC Radio 3 on Monday 8th November.
