Vocalist Molly Maher and guitarist Sam Marshall have won the inaugural Dawsons Song Prize, awarded to a vocal student and accompanist from the Popular Music Performance Degree programme.
Taking place at the RNCM on Friday 12 April, participants compete by performing a Jazz Standard of their own choice in a masterclass led by guest professionals. For this first competition, the College was delighted to welcome jazz singer and X Factor/Britain’s Got Talent vocal coach Annabel Williams (Cee Lo Green, Alison Moyet, Michael Bolton, Stooshe, Rumer, Brian McNight, You Me at Six, The Horizon, Amy Winehouse) and Matt Steele, keyboard player for the Brand New Heavies, who both coached and judged the performers.
Course Director Andy Stott said: ‘We were delighted to welcome Annabel and Matt to the RNCM to work with our vocalists and their accompanists on this, the inaugural Dawsons Song Prize. They gave an inspiring masterclass which really brought the best out of the students, both in terms of their technical performance and their stagecraft and communication. We hope to make this Prize a permanent fixture in our calendar as we launch the new BA (Hons) later this year. My thanks go to our sponsors, Dawsons Music, to Annabel and Matt for their excellent performances and coaching, and to the students who took part – they were first-rate ambassadors for the College.’
A certificate and £100 gift voucher for Dawsons was awarded to Molly and Sam for their rendition of Nature Boy.
