Charities Philharmonia make Dreams Come True

24-year-old Dimitris Economou was announced as the winner of the first Charities Philharmonia and Dreams Come True Young Composers Award at St. John's Smith Square on Saturday 7 November. Classic FM's Anne-Marie Minhall presented the award.

The evening marked the culmination of a competition which invited applications from British composers aged between 18 and 25 years.  They were required to submit a full orchestral score of no longer than 10 minutes.  Dimitris Economou was selected as the winner by judges Adam Gorb and Edmund Joliffe, internationally acclaimed composers and teachers.

Classic FM supports Charities Philharmonia - the London-based orchestra of young professionals and selected graduates who give their time for free, performing in concerts to raise money for good causes. This year, their nominated charity is Dreams Come True which supports seriously or terminally ill children.

The final concert featured Verdi's Overture: La Forza del Destino, Resphigi's The Pines of Rome, Janáček's Sinfonietta and the world première of Economou's prize-winning piece Folie à deux.

It is hoped that the Award will become an annual event to raise both funds and awareness for the selected charity and also to promote and nurture new composition talent in the UK.  The Musicians' Benevolent Fund has been selected for the 2009/10 season of concerts.

To find out more about the Award, and the wonderful work done by Charities Philharmonia, go to their website.