THE winners of a competition to create a composition for Colchester’s hidden jewel, the Moot Hall organ, have been announced.

The Colchester Town Hall organ had fallen into disrepair, but has now been repaired and restored thanks to a Heritage Lottery Grant. To celebrate its return to use, musicians were tasked with creating a composition under the title Pipeworks.

The first prize of £250 was won by John Furse, a former music student at Colchester Institute.

His composition, Moot Points, was his first completed work for organ solo and he dedicated it to the memory of Dr Swinburne, the former head of music at the college.

Second prize of £150 went to Mark Bellis, a composer and choral director who is course leader for the BA Music programme at the Colchester Institute, for Graduation Toccata.

The two pieces will be premiered by organist TomBell at a Roman River Festival concert on September 27.

The runners-up – Tempestuous by Jenni Pinnock, Paean by Peter Thorne and Prelude and Fugue on a Theme of Oysters, Garglyjock and Bulkybones by Alison Willis – will be performed at recitals and education events over the summer.