Alexandra Skevington wins RSCM Harold Smart Composition Competition 2025
The Royal School of Church Music has announced Alexandra Skevington as the winner of the 2025 Harold Smart Composition Competition. Judges described the field as exceptionally strong and were unanimous in their admiration for Skevington’s submission.
An English composer, Skevington originally trained as a performer before working in market research and primary education. She later returned to composition, developing her skills in orchestration, music technology and film scoring while working professionally as a teacher and accompanist.
Her music has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, published commercially and recognised through awards for chamber works and short film scores. Most recently, she was mentored through ABRSM’s Writing for Education programme. Her compositional voice is noted for its melodic clarity, with influences from jazz and French impressionism and a focus on accessibility for performers and listeners.
Reacting to the announcement, Skevington said, ‘I am struggling to contain my excitement! That’s lovely news, thank you ever so much! I am hugely grateful to you all for putting together the YouTube videos – without them, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to submit an entry and they definitely informed my writing choices.’