Brian Runnett Prize
Prize Details
This bi-annual competition for organ playing is open to all Junior Members of the University. Entrants are required to play two pieces of organ music, selected prior to each competition by the Adjudicators, on the St John’s College Organ.
Brian Runnett was born in Tyldesley, Lancashire in 1935, and he was a Lancashire County Scholar in Music at the Matthay School of Music, Liverpool, from 1950 to 1955 before becoming Assistant Organist at Chester Cathedral. In 1960 he was appointed Organ Scholar at St John’s, having already taken the degree of BMus at Durham University. His first professional appointment on leaving Cambridge was that of Lecturer in Music and Organist of Manchester University, moving to Norwich Cathedral in 1967 to become Organist and Master of the Choristers.
Brian Runnett was tragically killed in a road accident near Lichfield in August 1970, and this Prize has been established in his memory.
Additional Information
BRIAN RUNNETT PRIZE COMPETITION 2024
The Brian Runnett* Prize for organ playing is open to all Junior Members of the University.
1. The Competition will take place on Tuesday 6 February 2024 in St John’s College Chapel.
Candidates will be required to play one work from List A and one work from List B:
List A
Bruhns - Praeludium in G
Byrd - Fantasia in A minor (Musica Britannica no. 13)
Bach - Prelude & Fugue in A BWV 536
Buxtehude - Praeludium in G minor BuxWV 148
Bach - Chorale Fantasia on Komm, Heiliger Geist BWV 651
List B
Messiaen - Joie et clarté des corps glorieux
Jeanne Demessieux - Te Deum
Bairstow - Sonata (1st movement)
Judith Bingham - ‘Et cognoverunt eum' from ’The Road to Emmaeus'
Brahms - Fugue in A flat minor
2. The St John’s College Chapel Organ will be available for practice (two hours per candidate) during the fortnight before the Competition.
3. Intending candidates should inform Sophie Kirk, College Music Administrator (s.a.n.kirk@joh.cam.ac.uk) by Friday 8th December 2023.
In the event of a large entry, a short-listing procedure will be implemented.
4. There will be three adjudicators: Margaret Phillips, Mark Williams and Chris Gray.
5. The value of the prize is £800.
* Brian Runnett was born in Tyldesley, Lancashire in 1935. From 1950 to 1955 he was a Lancashire County Scholar in Music at the Matthay School of Music, Liverpool, before becoming Assistant Organist at Chester Cathedral. In 1960 he was appointed Organ Scholar at St John’s College Cambridge, having already taken the degree of BMus at Durham University.
His first professional appointment on leaving Cambridge was that of Lecturer in Music and Organist of Manchester University, moving to become Organist and Master of the Choristers at Norwich Cathedral in 1967. He was tragically killed in a road accident near Lichfield in August 1970, and this Prize has been established in his memory.
October 2023