Celebration bells for first-time composer

First year student Leonard Weiss has won first prize in the national Carillon Composition Competition.

Leonard’s prize-winning piece, The Bells of Nyx – his first attempt at composition for the carillon – also won the Audience Choice prize, bringing his total prize money to $2,500.

Leonard, whose primary instrument is the harp, was pleasantly surprised by his win.

“Winning first place was incredible. It feels amazing to know that other musicians appreciate my composition.

“The piece is centred around night time, hence the dedication to Nyx, the Greek goddess of night. It begins with the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon; it then progresses through majestic and quasi-romantic sections before returning to a variant of the original opening that represents the rising of the sun,” he said.

Leonard plans to spend some of his prize money on a trip to Perth to visit the Swan Bell Tower and is also planning to continue composing for the Carillon in future.