The RPS Composers programme was originally known as the 'RPS Composition Prize', instigated back in 1948 for composers graduating from the leading UK music colleges. In recent years, the opportunity has expanded, becoming more of a development programme to meet composers' needs, and its terms of application eased to encourage a broader range of voices. Here follows a record of all its beneficiaries since 1948.
In certain years no award was made. From 1994 former winners were not eligible to enter again.
1948 - 1999 / 2000 - to date
1999
Jonathan Cole
1998
no prize awarded
1997
Oscar Bettison
1996
Andrew March
1995
Sang-Eun Lee
1994
Paul de Aragon
David Bruce
1993
no prize awarded
1992
Julian Anderson
1991
Shinuh Lee
1990
John Cooney
Paul Newland
1989
Robert Godman
Edward Newell
No competition was held between 1981 and 1988, but with the help of the Performing Right Society the prize was reinstated in 1989.
1980
Alison Cox
David Haines
Geoffrey Twigg
1979
Keith Gifford
1978
Julie Ainscough
Paul Barker
1977
Paul Keenan
Paul Parkinson
1976
David Gill
1975
Rory Boyle
Donald Hart
1974
David Butler
David Sutton
1973
Lance Baker
Rory Boyle
Paul Hughes
Peter Rudnick
Christopher Williams
1972
Geoffrey Sumner
1971
Peter Lawson
1970
Peter Lawson
Morris Pert
1969
Richard Benger
John Hall
Robert Inglis
1968
no prize awarded
1967
Richard Berger
Max Paddison
1966
Roger Smalley
1965
Peter Klatzow
1964
Richard Hewson
David Lyon
B V Wyse
1963
Robin Stevenson
1962
John McCabe
James Patten
John Purser
Patric Standford
1961
John Philips
Christopher Wiltshire
1960
Edwin Roxburgh
Christopher Wiltshire
1959
no prize awarded
1958
Barry Moss
John Luke Rose
1957
Alan Ridout
John Luke Rose
1956
David Ellis
1955
David Freedman
Alan Ridout
1954
Frank Spedding
1953
Barry Moss
Philip Wilkinson
1952
Stanley Glasser
Richard Muncey
Roy Heaton Smith
Frank Spedding
Malcolm Macdonald (RPS ‘open’ prize - 1st place)
Stephen Dodgson (RPS ‘open’ prize - 2nd place)
1951
Iain Hamilton
James Stevens
David Wooldridge
Adrian Cruft (RPS ‘open’ prize - 1st place)
Kenneth Leighton (RPS ‘open’ prize - 2nd place)
1950
Peter Hodgson
K V Jones
1949
Stephen Dodgson
Edward C Holman
John Joubert
Ian Parrott (RPS ‘open’ prize - 1st place)
Geoffrey Bush (RPS ‘open’ prize - 2nd place)
1948
Victor Bailey
Stewart Hylton Edwards
Samuel Margolian
Timothy Moore