2019 Kathleen Ferrier Award Winners

The Help Musicians UK Accompanist’s Prize acknowledges the crucial role of pianists in this Competition. This year’s prize was awarded jointly to ELLA O’NEILL (24) and WILLIAM GREEN (27). Ella accompanied Adam Maxey (a finalist) and William accompanied Adam Temple-Smith (a semi-finalist) during the competition.

all photos © Emma Brown

The winners of the 2019 Kathleen Ferrier Awards are:

Benson Wilson, Baritone (1st Prize) Theodore Platt, Baritone (2nd Prize) Ema Nikolovska, Mezzo-Soprano (Ferrier Loveday Song Prize) Ella O’Neill and William Green, piano (Help Musicians UK Accompanist’s Prize)

After performing to a full house at Wigmore Hall on 26th April, Baritone BENSON WILSON was awarded 1st Prize in the 2019 Kathleen Ferrier Competition. 28-year old Benson, New Zealand-born of Samoan heritage, is currently studying at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and will take part in the Salzburg Festival Young Singers Project this summer. He took the prize with a programme that included operatic arias by Wagner and Verdi as well as songs by Butterworth and Tchaikovsky.

2nd Prize went to 24-year old British-Russian Baritone THEODORE PLATT who studies at the Royal College of Music Opera Studio. Theodore offered a programme of arias and songs by Rachmaninov, Mozart, Duparc, Wagner, Sibelius and Britten.

The Ferrier Loveday Song Prize was awarded to 25-year old Mezzo-Soprano EMA NIKOLOVSKA. Of Canadian and Macedonian nationality, Ema won the Song Prize for her rendition of Twilight by Medtner.

Blow The Wind Southerly

Blow The Wind Southerly

The Kathleen Ferrier Awards have produced a book to celebrate the centenary of Ferrier’s birth entitled Blow The Wind Southerly which includes articles from Rupert Christiansen, Christopher Fifield and Graham Johnson; a selection of memories from people who met Kathleen or heard her sing, including John Copley, John Tooley and George Christie, and extracts from letters and diaries offering an insight into her character and the impact she had on the public. A disc featuring a selection of lesser-known recordings, spoken excerpts from Kathleen herself and interviews with fellow singers and contemporaries is also included.

Available by clicking this Amazon link.