Georgie Malcolm and Edward Campbell-Rowntree win Williams-Howard Prize

Soprano Georgie Malcolm and pianist Edward Campbell-Rowntree have won the inaugural Williams-Howard Prize.

An internal award for RNCM students, the prize was established by internationally-renowned countertenor Michael Harper in honour of his grandfather Chester Ambrose Williams and teacher and mentor Helen Palmer Howard.

Georgie Malcolm (soprano) and Edward Campbell-Rowntree (pianist)

The first of its kind in Europe for singers and collaborative pianists, the Prize is designed to celebrate the study and performance of art songs of composers of African heritage.

After an initial recorded round, five pairs made it through to the final, performing for judges Michael Harper, Professor Lynne Dawson and Jonathan Fisher and a public audience in the Carole Nash Recital Room.

Georgie and Edward secured the £1200 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor First Prize with a programme featuring George Walker’s Lilacs, Florence Pike’s Night and Undine Smith Moore’s Love Let the Wind Cry.

The £600 Avril Coleridge-Taylor Second Prize went to soprano Cherie Tse and pianist Mason Greenwood, with soprano Katy Allan and pianist Carl Leighton receiving the Amanda Ira Aldridge Honorable Mention, worth £200. All prizes were divided equally between singer and pianist.

Williams-Howard Prize finalists and panel

Michael Harper said: ‘I am deeply passionate about inspiring the next generation of singers and pianists to embrace this work and keep these songs alive, ensuring that they are not forgotten but are embedded firmly into the canon of classical song repertoire, and I am grateful of the RNCM for being so supportive of this idea.’

Congratulations all finalists, including sopranos Stephanie Wong and Lucy Farrimond and pianists Yongxin Seanne and Evi Wang.

Thank You

The Williams-Howard Prize has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Michael Harper, the Cooper Hall Foundation (Frome, Somerset), the Buxton International Festival, the RNCM, Antony Wiens Page, the RNCM Principle’s Circle and an anonymous donor.

17 March 2022