An Aberdeen academic has beaten thousands of competitors to make it to the final of a BBC composers competition.
One of just six finalists from across the country, Tim Tricker – who teaches English at Aberdeen University – will now face off against the very best the competition has to offer.
The BBC Radio 3 ran competition challenged amateur composers to create a new tune for Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem, Christmas Carol.
Each entrant has had to come up with a suitable melody for the festive poem, with submissions in every conceivable style and genre being received.
A keen musician, Mr Tricker also conducts the Grampian Hospitals’ Choir, Grampian Concert Orchestra and Concordia String Orchestra in his spare time.
The new challenge offered by the competition coupled with its emphasis on three of his passions, poetry, music and Christmas made the competition a must.
He said: “I conduct the Grampian Hospitals’ Choir, and they usually rehearse from October through to December to put on two big charity carol concerts, one in the Town Hall in Elgin, and one in the Music Hall in Aberdeen.”
“Like many musical groups this year, they’ve had to cancel these concerts, so we’ve all been missing making music together, and all the preparations involved in the Christmas carol performance process.
“I’d usually be writing and arranging music for Christmas events, so the Radio 3 Carol Competition was a way of continuing to do that.”
He now hopes that his work will appeal to the wider public who will be responsible for crowning this years winner.
He added: “Musically, I enjoy the challenge of word-painting and getting the text to sit naturally in terms of a melodic line, so I sent my offering to the competition.
“Hearing that I’d reached the final was a super piece of news – I actually got the call to say I was on the shortlist on my birthday – so it felt like a birthday and Christmas surprise all in one.
“While it would obviously be amazing to win, I’m delighted simply to have made it to the final.”
Those wishing to vote for Mr Tricker will be able to online before the results are announced during Radio 3’s Breakfast show on December 18.
