Thoms Simaku nominated for BASCA Award 2011

Albanians everywhere can be proud of Albanian-born Thomas Simaku who has been nominated for a British Composer Award 2011 in London. I just received this piece of good news from my longtime friend, Peter Rennie, who, at one time, was the Secretary of the Anglo-Albanian Association.

Please join me in extending sincerest compliments to Composer Simaku for his latest classical musical achievement!

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Soliloquy IV for Bass Clarinet has been nominated for a British Composer Award 2011 as one of the three finalists in the Instrumental Solo or Duo Category. The nomination shortlists were announced on BBC Radio 3 on Tuesday 18th October. The prestigious awards are presented by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and sponsored by PRS in association with BBC Radio 3 providing exclusive broadcast coverage of the Awards.

Basca shortlist 2011

This piece is part of the Soliloquy Cycle - a series of virtuoso works for various solo instruments. As the composer explains 'the idiosyncratic quality of the Bass Clarinet piece is to be found in the rich and powerful (but also delicate) sonorities of the instrument, as well as the high degree of virtuosity, which lies at the edge of what's possible!'

The UK premiere was given by Sarah Watts on 18th September 2010 at St Leonard's Shoreditch Church in London, as part of the 'Rare-scale Premiere Series'. Thomas Simaku won a 2009 BASCA Award with his recorder piece, which the judging panel described as 'visionary and entirely original'.