Young composer from Cardiff shortlisted for Best New Song Prize

A young composer from Cardiff has been shortlisted for a prestigious music prize.

Geraint Owen has been nominated for the Stiles and Drewe Best New Song 2023 for his song ‘Bio’.

The Stiles and Drewe Prize is an award programme for the development and showcasing of British musical theatre writers.

Song Prize

Established by acclaimed writing duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, the Song Prize showcases new songs from the musicals of tomorrow in a celebration concert of new musical theatre writing.

The Best New Song is awarded on an annual basis, recognising an outstanding song from a new musical written by a member of Mercury Musical Developments (MMD).

Just 12 songs from the musicals of tomorrow were selected from from 177 submissions.

A panel of industry judges, including Stiles and Drewe, will award the prize. The winner will receive £1,000 towards developing their work.

‘Bio’

The 26-year-old Owen has been recognised for his song ‘Bio’ from the show QueerWay.

QueerWay is an original contemporary musical theatre song cycle celebrating LGBTQ+ people’s determination to be “I Am What I Am”.

The show was inspired by the feel-good life stories of LGBTQ+ people in Rhondda Cynon Taf. It explores life’s ups and downs, finding lesbian love in your 50s, and the love of a mother for her Trans child.

On Monday 13 November his song will be performed at The Other Palace theatre in the West End in a star-studded showcase of the nominated songs.

‘Bio’ will be sung by Welsh actress Caroline Sheen, an established West End Performer known for Les Miserables (2012), Torchwood (2012), and The Rock (2019).

The Cardiffian is an award-winning composer, writer, musical director and pianist. He studied at the University of Cambridge, and has received training at the Young Vic, the National Theatre, and piano tuition at the Birmingham Conservatoire.

As a composer, Geraint’s first musical ‘Rust’, which he also directed, was co-written with Helena Fox. Its themes explored addiction, recovery, and mental health services.

It won the Derek Award for Best Musical when it opened at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019.

He is currently developing the verbatim musical Vox Pop, which follows the people of Cardiff in the General Election of 2019.

Other composing credits include the 27 second chain project (Bali International Film Festival) and The Gingerbread Man (the Cambridge Footlights pantomime).

The composer is currently the Musical Director of the Welsh language musical “Branwen: Y Dadeni” which premieres in the Wales Millennium Centre on Wednesday 8 November. He will then embark on a tour around Wales.

See Jon Gower’s excellent 2022 interview with Geraint for Nation.Cymru here.