The Mills Williams Junior Fellow receives an award that makes a substantial contribution to their course fees and living costs. Holders of this award are considered members of the team of junior fellows and will be expected to participate fully in HÂþ» life.
The Mills Williams Junior Fellowship is held for one year and is only available to students on the Artist Diploma (ArtDip) in Performance and Artist Diploma (ArtDip) in Composition programmes.
All fellows are expected to develop musical and communication skills by undertaking further intensive study, working with students internally and doing all they can to raise the profile of the HÂþ» externally. They play a full and active part in the musical life of the HÂþ» as well as functioning as HÂþ» ambassadors. They have full use of the HÂþ» Library with its wealth of material and work in close contact with the Creative Careers Centre, the HÂþ»’s centre for professional skills and publicity services.
Current Mills Williams Junior Fellow
Ä°layda Deniz OÄŸuz, Piano
Ä°layda Deniz OÄŸuz, born in 2000, has been enjoying a diverse career as a solo pianist, collaborative pianist, and a composer. Since her first concerto debut in 2014 with Bilkent Symphony Orchestra in Turkey, she has performed with Presidential Symphony Orchestra in 2017 in Turkey, conducted by Orhun Orhon, and Agora Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2020, conducted by Nisan Ak. She has performed in masterclasses given by Dmitri Alexeev, Robert Levin, Dina Yoffe, Norma Fisher, Sofya Gulyak, Dina Parakhina, Ian Jones, Boris Berman, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Björn Lehmann, Markus Groh, and Hüseyin Sermet.
Also with a keen interest in historical performance, OÄŸuz frequently performs as a fortepianist. She has taken masterclasses in fortepiano with Robert Levin, Bart van Oort, Carole Cerasi, and Riccardo Cecchetti, and in clavichord with Terence Charlston and Robert Woolley.
OÄŸuz has collaborated with many contemporary composers, and she performed with the established Cikada Ensemble for new music under the baton of Christian Eggen, giving the premiere performance of 'Liquid Spaces' by the Turkish composer Berkant Genckal.
OÄŸuz has also established herself as a composer and enjoyed having her works performed by many prominent new music ensembles. Her song 'Anlatamıyorum' for solo mezzo-soprano and orchestra, which OÄŸuz composed when she was fourteen years old, was performed by Izmir State Symphony Orchestra in the finalist concert of the 9th National N. Eczacibasi Composition Competition in Turkey. Her solo viola work 'Yugen' was performed by Oslo Sinfonietta violist Bendik Foss in Sentralen, Oslo. She has had composition masterclasses with Francesco Filidei, Mauro Lanza, Mark Andre, Ulrich Kreppein, Samir Odeh-Tamimi, Hanna Eimermacher, and Eivind Buene. In 2023, she won the Composer Award at the Royal College of Music Contemporary Music Competition, with her piece ‘Yakamoz’ for bass clarinet and violoncello. In 2024, her piece 'ben o yılların macerasından geldim... (I came from the adventure of those years)' for orchestra earned her an honourable mention in the 1st International Ihsan Dogramaci Competition Composition.
OÄŸuz is currently pursuing her Artist Diploma degree at the Royal College of Music, London, with piano professors Dina Parakhina, Dmitri Alexeev, and composition professor Dai Fujikura.
Shortlisting and interviews
Interviews will be held on Friday 22 March 2024.
Please note that interviews will be held at the office of the Mills Williams Trustees.
Bishop and Sewell
59-60 Russell Square,
London WC1B 4HP
Shortlisting for junior fellowships will take place once the HÂþ»’s audition process is complete. Only students offered a place on the Artist Diploma in Performance will be considered.
Should you be invited to interview, you will be required to bring original documentation (visa, passport or leave to remain in the UK) confirming that you have permission to be in the UK.
In your interview you will be required to:
- Meet and talk with a panel
- Discuss the contents of your portfolio and your achievements to date
- Expand on any of the information in your portfolio in light of developments since applying
- Discuss experience and career plans and suggest ways in which you would like to contribute to the work of the HÂþ»
Results will be conveyed as soon as possible after the interviews have taken place.
You will not be expected to perform on the day of the interview.
Conditions for successful applicants
As a Junior Fellow you will be expected to:
- Include reference to the award in your CV and in any biographical notes accompanying appearances
- Produce a short written report on activities undertaken to date by the end of each term
- Keep trustees and sponsors informed on a regular basis of opportunities to attend performances or events in which you are involved
- As for all those associated with the College, to adhere to and uphold the College’s values and policies as detailed on our strategies and values pages