A WIRRAL composer who helped launch Liverpool’s Capital of Culture year has been given a coveted music award.

Emily Howard, 29, fought off national competition to win the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award of £45,000.

Currently Liverpool City Council’s composer in residence, Howard has received a number of high-profile commissions.

Her piece, Magnetite, opened the Culture celebrations performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Vasily Petrenko.

Howard, a former pupil of Birkenhead High School, said: “It’s amazing that I’ve been given such a great opportunity to spend more time composing. This year has been fantastic particularly working with Vasily Petrenko; he is a wonderful conductor.

“This is a major arts prize and I’m so grateful because this money will change my life and allow me to do things I wouldn’t normally get the chance to do.”

Howard has already been commissioned by the RLPO to compose a new piece which will be conducted by Petrenko in October.

Given the success of Magnetite and the positive reactions from the orchestra and the audience, Howard says she now plans to extend the existing 10-minute piece into a longer movement symphony.

She said: “My 10-minute work was well received and I felt there was more that could be done so I’ve decided to extend it into a longer piece.

“I have also been working with Liverpool Youth Orchestra and Liverpool Mozart Orchestra alongside schools in the city.