I spent the weekend of April 1 at the spectacular coastal town of Port Erin, where the Arts Centre housed the competition founded by Evelyn Barbirolli in 1993. I had been asked by the competition chair, George Caird, to write the test piece, Figures Suspended for solo oboe, which was played by all 27 of the contestants in the opening round – a remarkable experience! I wasn’t able to be there for the succeeding rounds, but was delighted to learn that the winner was Ilyes Boufadden-Adloff from France. A special Faber prize was given for the best performance of Figures Suspended to the German oboist Fanny Kloevekorn, who had played the piece from memory.