OpusHER
Empowering emerging female composers
Applications for 2025 - 2026 are now closed
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EMPOWER: Women Changing Music were delighted to launch the second year of the OpusHER Award, created to spotlight, celebrate and support emerging female composers, and to expand the contemporary repertoire for wind instruments, in partnership with ABRSM.
Launched in 2024, this award offers a unique opportunity for female composers aged 18 and above to create a brand-new work for the EMPOWER 2026 tour, celebrating Women’s History Month.
2025-26 OpusHER Winner:
EZO SARICI
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London-born British-Turkish violinist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and artistic director Ezo Sarici is fast emerging as one of her generation's most dynamic and imaginative musicians. A graduate of the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal Academy of Music, where she earned her Master's with Distinction, Ezo's artistry spans classical, jazz, and folk worlds, weaving them into an expressive and contemporary voice. She has performed internationally across Europe, with appearances in Italy, Spain, Norway, Austria, and Turkey, and on stages including the Southbank Centre, Ronnie Scott's, Buckingham Palace, and the Barbican Centre, where her work Goçebe Prenses was premiered by Her Ensemble and Friends with Jess Gillam and Laura van der Heijden, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Supported by the Countess of Munster Trust, Harrison-Frank Family Foundation, and Leverhulme Scholarship, she has been a prizewinner at the Lipizer, Bromsgrove, and Josef Micka international competitions, and was a Southbank Young Artist with Manchester Collective. A passionate chamber musician, Ezo performs with Trio Arisonto and Duo Ekes, the latter co-founding the Pererinion Ysbrydol Festival Academy in Wales— bringing together artists from across the world for creative collaboration, education, and performance in the inspiring surroundings of Gregynog Hall.
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''I’ve long admired Empower's ethos and the incredible work they do in the music world, so seeing the musicians they collaborate with makes this recognition feel even more special. I'm truly honoured to have been selected as the winner of the 2026 OpusHER Award. With the support of ABRSM and the incredible mentors involved in this project, I'm very much looking forward to shaping a new work that will be inclusive of everyone involved - from the Empower team and mentors to the players themselves. This year-long project offers an inspiring opportunity to freely explore my musical roots and the theme of belonging, and I can't wait for Empower's supportive audiences to experience the new music that emerges from this journey."
This award is presented in partnership with ABRSM
Inaugural OpusHER Winner:
MOLLY FRANCES ARNUK
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With almost 40 applications entered into the inaugural OpusHER competition, the winner of the award was Molly Frances Arnuk! We were immediately captivated by Molly’s passion for making contemporary music more accessible, and her attention to detail, but most importantly the fact she wanted joy to be central to the piece, which perfectly reflects her warm personality!
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“Winning OpusHER is such an exciting opportunity. The support from knowledgeable mentors and instrumentalists will guide me to produce music that I am proud to share. Having my piece performed in the EMPOWER events alongside works by inspiring women is a big step in my emerging career as a composer, allowing my voice to reach wider audiences and forge important connections.”
We are so excited for our first collaboration and can’t wait to share this journey with you all!
Gratefully supported by nkoda
Got a question? Get in touch!
Feel free to get in touch with any questions, we want to make this process as seamless and enjoyable as possible for everyone involved.