In tribute: Asteryth Sloane

Asteryth studied at Hills Road between 2016 and 2018 and went on to the Royal Northern College of Music to complete both a Bachelor of Music in Composition, graduating with First Class honours, and a Master’s degree in Composition and Musicology, graduating with Distinction. In 2025, they were awarded RNCM Associate Membership in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the music profession.

Their unique compositional methods and creativity led to a number of accolades, including winning the Cambridge Young Composer of the Year Competition in 2016, the senior category of the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers’ Competition in 2018 for their piece Elegy for Aylan, and a commission from the Royal Philharmonic Society to mark Classic FM’s 25th birthday celebrations.

Performed by ensembles including VOCES8, Paraorchestra, and the BBC Singers, Asteryth’s music is known for its responses to the beauty and fragility of the living Earth, as well as themes of identity and spirituality. Their musicological work explores the power of listening to bring us into more intimate and ethical relationships with sound, as well as the rights of sound and sound sources.

More recently, Asteryth trained as a therapist, focusing on interpersonal and healing contexts. You can find out more about Asteryth’s work on their website.

We send our heartfelt condolences to Asteryth’s family and friends.