As well as travelling down to London in March to work with the world-famous orchestra in rehearsals, experimenting with various refinements suggested by the professor of composition at the Royal Academy of Music, they recently returned for the final recording session.

This final session saw Tabi and Alex go into the recording studio with the orchestra under the baton of one of the finest conductors in the world, Sir Antonio Pappano: he rehearsed the orchestra and discussed the preparation for the final recording with each student, giving them complete artistic freedom.  The recordings will be available in August, and will be played at the Royal Opera House throughout the 2018/2019 opera season.

Mr Butler said:  “It is hard for a non-musician to understand the enormity of what Tabi and Alex have experienced by winning this competition. The opportunity to work with one of the world’s finest conductors and his orchestra at the age of 17 is just unbelievable – for a composition student it is just a dream come true: one which hardly any young musician will ever get the opportunity to experience. I am just in awe of them and a little bit (make that very!) envious.”

Tabi said “As a musician who wants to study composition at university or music college, this was a dream come true… unforgettable!”