Teenager all set to make music at Royal Opera House

Royal Opera House, London. (Picture courtesy of Royal Opera House.)

A national competition has been music to the ears of a Bell Baxter High School pupil.

Kit McCarthy (14), of Glenduckie, by Cupar is one of the ten winners of the Royal Opera House Fanfare competition and will have his work performed throughout the year.

He will be going down to the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, London, next week to record with music director Antonio Pappano

Kit said: “The Fanfare competition is the most incredible opportunity.

Kit McCarthy, who will have his composition played at the Royal Opera House.

“My piece will be played by some incredibly talented musicians, and the prospect is so exciting.”

The winning compostitions will be played at the start and intervals to call audiences to their seats.

A panel of musicians and staff members from a range of departments across the Royal Opera House shortlisted the 129 entries and a smaller panel led by Antonio Pappano selected the ten winning compositions.

The winners will collaborate with composer Duncan Chapman to orchestrate and shape their compositions before recording them on June 18.

Antonio Pappano said: “Fanfare is a fantastic competition, giving young people the chance to compose, and the standard of entries this year was remarkable.

“The ten winning fanfares each displayed an extraordinary sense of musicality, capturing the imagination and showing such promise that it makes me so excited to work with the winners to record their compositions.”

Now in its seventh year, the competition asked entrants for the first time to create their fanfares using two motifs from selected ballets and operas that will be performed in the upcoming 2016/17 Royal Opera House Season.