Czech composer scores third victory in UK Songwriting Contest
Czech composer Tomáš Kympl has marked his third victory in the UK Songwriting Contest. In 2021 he won the Electronic and Dance Music category with his composition Wifi, which is part of his album Kernel Panic, released last June.
The title of Tomáš Kympl’s album Kernel Panic refers to a computer error from which the operating system cannot quickly or easily recover. It draws listeners into the world of digital technologies, which have become an intimate part of our everyday lives, whether we like it or not.
Tomáš Kympl says it is his first venture into electronic music:
“I have been thinking of this genre for quite some time, but I never had time for it. But thanks to Covid, I suddenly had time to spare, so I decided to record this album. It was a spontaneous idea.
“In the album, I reflect the world that we live in at the moment. With all the time we spend working from home, wifi has obviously become part of our everyday lives.”
Tomáš Kympl, who is 46, studied composition, percussion and piano at the Prague Conservatory. He has written music for a number of Czech singers, as well as film soundtracks, operas and music for stage.
He first won the UK Songwriting Contest in 2015 in the Open category with his composition Ave Maria. A year later he succeeded in the Instrumental category with his composition New York.
For the 2021 edition of the UK Songwriting Contest, Kympl selected the song Wifi from his most recent album, Kernel Panic. It was in competition against nearly 10,000 entries from songwriters in 84 countries.
Kympl says succeeding in the competition for the third round means a lot to him:
“Of course it makes me happy, especially with this album, which is completely different from what I have done until now. But most of all, it gives me an opportunity to assess my work in a global context and it shows me that I have chosen the right path.
“Selecting the track for the competition wasn’t easy, because my idea of what might resonate with the listeners may not be entirely correct. For that, you need an outside perspective, something I don’t have as an author.”
The UK Songwriting Contest is one of the world's longest running international songwriting competitions. It was launched in London in 2002 with the aim to discover and encourage new songwriting talent and promote the craft of songwriting. Judges include top British producers and industry professionals, including Grammy, Emmy and BRIT Award winners.
Tomáš Kympl says he has already started working on a new album, called Red, due to be released this year. It should be a loose follow up on the previous LP, Kernel Panic, this time accompanied by singing.
