WEST Devon composer Andrew Wilson has won this year’s prestigious Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir ’Celebrating Dorset’ Composing Competition.

Mr Wilson, who is honorary president of the Tavistock Festival and director of music at Okehampton Parish Church, won the award for his piece ’A Dorset Legend’

The work, which tells the exciting story of the Viking raids on the Dorset coast in Saxon times, was chosen from among the dozens of entries submitted by composers from all over the country.

The widely acclaimed Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir will give the first public performance of Andrew’s piece in Shaftesbury in June.

Andrew is a well-known local musician, as well as being a prolific composer; he is director of studies of the National College of Music, London and was previously director of music at Kelly College for many years. This is the third national composition competition he has won in the past year and he has been a finalist in a further two.

Nearer home, music lovers will have a chance to hear his new “Tavy Dances” performed by the Chamber Ensemble of London in their Tavistock Festival Concert in St Eustachius’ Parish Church on Friday.

He is pictured here receiving his prize from the choir’s musical director, the conductor David Gostick.