A LECTURER at Oxford Brookes University has been honoured at the British Composer Awards.

Artist and lecturer Ray Lee won the Sonic Art category for his piece, The Ethometric Museum.

His winning piece, a sound installation commissioned by Oxford Contemporary Music ,was premiered at the Museum of the History of Science in Broad Street.

The unusual installation is a collection of scientific objects which emit harmonic frequencies.

Mr Lee combines the sound from each of the ‘instruments’ to create a hypnotic, mesmerising sound.

He said: “I’m delighted to receive this award.

“The Sonic Arts Research unit at Brookes is the home of some fantastic composers and artists and I hope my award will help everyone get further recognition for their hard work.

“It’s also a testament to the work of Oxford Contemporary Music, who show such originality and forward thinking in their commissioning and programming, as well as a great opportunity for me to work closely with the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford.”

The judging panel praised Mr Lee’s work as highly inventive and said it was quirky, beautiful, humorous and moving.

In awarding the prize to him, they said: “This fascinating collection of sound-generating devices, placed and performed within a theatrical museum, provided a captivating and immersive experience.

“We were struck by both its integrity of concept and breadth of appeal.”

The awards, organised by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA), were held at London’s Goldsmiths’ Hall.

Alison Honour, head of the school of arts at Brookes, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Ray and testament to his talents as a sonic artist.

“Ray produces art which is challenging, thought-provoking and beautiful.”

A programme featuring the awards was aired on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday.

Awards and BASCA chairman Sarah Rogers said: “The awards have presented an authentic reflection of the new and the established, across a spectrum of language and invention which affirms the high reputation of contemporary classical composition in the UK.”