Black Pencil Prize2026Music for Ally
We are delighted to announce the winners of the Black Pencil Prize 2026 – Music for Ally,
celebrating 50 years of the city of Almere!
The winners of 2026
First Prize: László Sándor (Hungry): "La Mi Re" for Almere (2026)
Second Prize: Antek Cholewiński (Poland): "Two naïve folk dances from the city of Almere" (2026)
Finalist of 2026
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Antek Cholewinski (Poland, 1998): twee naïeve volksdansjes uit die stad almere (2026) - For Black Pencil blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion, percussion
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Erik Sköld (Sweden, 1991): Almere Rain (2026) - For Black Pencil viola, accordion and percussion
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László Sándor (Hungary, 1975): La Mi Re for Almere (2026) - For Black Pencil blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion, percussion
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Pei-Cheng Chu (Taiwan, 2000): Where The Trees Preach, The Grasses Listen (2026) - For Black Pencil blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion, percussion
Congratulations also to Erik Sköld (Sweden) and Pei-Cheng Chu (Taiwan) for their beautiful compositions.
The premeire of the four compositions and the announcement of the winners took place on
Sunday 18th October 2026 at 15.00 in Kunstlinie in Almere (The Netherlands).
Prizes
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First prize €3.000
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Second prize €1000
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A professional studio recording of the winning compositions
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Performance of the pieces during a selection of concerts of Black Pencil
This international was an open call invited composers of all ages and nationalities to create a new work for Black Pencil Ensemble inspired by Almere. The 2026 edition was held in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Almere, the youngest city in the Netherlands, also known as “Ally.” Composers were invited to draw inspiration from one of four sub-themes:
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Ally Nature
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Ally Architecture
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Ally Stories
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Ally Next
Ally? Who’s Ally?
Ally is more than a name.
Born as street slang for Almere, it has grown into a symbol of the beating heart of a young city. A name that lives, on walls, in art, in stories, and in the voices of its residents. From the iconic Ally staircase in the city center to initiatives in every neighborhood: Ally is everywhere.
It is a symbol of pride and identity.
Of a city that is young, creative, connected, and constantly in motion.
The winner of the Black Pencil Prize 2025 is Patrick John Jones .
The London-based composer wrote the winning composition Air in Vortex.
Especially for recorder, pan flute, viola, accordion,percussion and fixed media audio, inspired by the idea of “a song passing through a black hole.”
The Honorable Mention goes to the Argentinian composer Francisco del Pino for his piece Cascabel. The finalist Lászlo Sándor was crowned the winner of the Prix Annelie de Man Composition Competition.
The finalists of the Black Pencil Prize 2025 (in alphabetical order):
Francisco del Pino (1980, Argentina): Cascabel (2025)
blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion
Patrick John Jones (1989, UK) : Air in Vortex (2025)
blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion, percussion and fixed media audio
László Sándor (1975, Hungry) : Florimina (2025)
blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion, percussion and organ/harpsichord,
The winner of the Black Pencil Prize 2023 is
Ruud Roelofsen (1985-The Netherlands) 'Wraith II'
The finalists of the Black Pencil Prize 2023 (in alphabetical order):
Niccolò Angioni (1992,Italië) : Unconscious Patterns (2023)
blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion
Nikodem Kluczyński (1999,Polen): Black hole disco interference (2023)
blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion
Ruud Roelofsen (1985,The Netherlands) : Wraith II (2023)
blockflute, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion
The winner of the Black Pencil Prize 2021 is
Mayako Kubo (Japan): Reset II
Two Honorary Mentions:
Florence Anna Maunders (United Kingdom): Desert Spaces
Erik Valdemar Sköld (Sweden): Álfheimr
Finalists of the Black Pencil Prize 2021 (in alphabetical order):
Umut Eldem (Turkey) : …and we look into the waves
Mayako Kubo (Japan): Reset II
Florence Anna Maunders (United Kingdom): Desert Spaces
Gerson de Sousa Batista (Portugal) : The Creation Anima Animus
Erik Valdemar Sköld (Sweden): Álfheimr
Mayako Kubo: Reset II (Black Pencil Prize 2021)
The winner of the Black Pencil Prize 2020 is
Andys Skordis (Cyprus) for his work “Uz...u”
Two Honorary Mentions:
Arda Yurdusev (Turkey): “Seyyah Trilogy”
Florence Anna Maunders (United Kingdom): “Bursting Out"
Finalists of the Black Pencil Prize 2020 (in alphabetical order):
* ANTHONY LEIGH DUNSTAN "quantum foam" for recorder, panflute, viola, accordion, percussion and reverb system.
* FLORENCE ANNE MAUNDERS "Bursting Out" for harpsichord, recorder, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion.
* GERMÁN MEDINA CALLE "Apocryphal" for harpsichord, recorder, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion.
* FINTAN O'HARE "So Sa Si" for recorder, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion.
* ANDYS SKORDIS “Uz...u” - ...lament for harpsichord, recorder, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion.
* ARDA YURDUSEV "Seyyah Trilogy" for harpsichord, recorder, panflute, viola, accordion and percussion
Black Pencil Prize 2018, 1st Prize
Fred Momotenko: Danco Konsonanco
Black Pencil Prize 2018, Honorary Mention
Cinzia Nistico: Obscure alternatives
