The Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship Fund was founded in 1953 in memory of the much-loved contralto from Lancashire who died at the tragically young age of 41 and whose career as a singer lasted just 12 years.

The initial purpose of the Fund, known as the Kathleen Ferrier Awards, was to make an annual award to a young British singer sufficient to cover the cost of a year’s study and general support.  The first competition under the ægis of the Fund was held in 1956. The Daily Mail – slightly surprisingly these days – in conjunction with the British Federation of Music Festivals had run a “Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Prize” competition on 25th November 1955. The Fund’s competition, once started in 1956, has run ever since – even during the period of the Covid pandemic, when it went online-only for two consecutive competitions. It has continued to provide a few outstanding talented young singers each year with the opportunity of making a start in what is a most challenging and demanding career.

The competition now offers three prizes, a 1st prize of £12,500, a 2nd prize of £6,000 and a Song Prize of £5,000, sponsored in perpetuity by Mark and Liza Loveday.   There is also an Accompanist’s Prize of £5,000 provided by Help Musicians in memory of Arthur and Gwyneth Harrison.

The competition is now usually open to singers of any nationality who have completed at least one year of study in the UK or the Republic of Ireland: they must be aged 28 or under at the time of the final of the competition. Pianists competing for the Accompanist’s Prize must also be 28 or under.

A list of the current Trustees can be found below , and their most recent report can be seen by clicking this link: Kathleen Ferrier Awards 2023 Trustees Report

Trustees

Sir Thomas Allen CBE FRCM
Dr Linda Hirst
Ben Johnson
Yvonne Kenny AM
Julie Nicholls
Ian Page
Nicholas Riddle (Chair)
Joan Rodgers CBE
David Syrus
Sir John Tusa
Martin B M Williams