Leading singers share £7,000 at Northern Aldborough Festival

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The country’s finest up-and-coming classical singers shared £7,000 in the final of a prestigious competition at the Northern Aldborough Festival last night (June 23).

The New Voices contest gives UK vocalists, aged 18-32, the chance to compete for money and secure bookings at a time when arts funding is tight.

After four finalists each performed 15-minute recitals in St Andrew’s Church at Aldborough, near Boroughbridge, countertenor Tom Lilburn and his accompanist Jack Redman were chosen for the first prize.

Eight shortlisted singers had earlier gone head-to-head in two semi-finals.

Winners Tom and Jack received the Seastock Trust Prize of £5,000. Tom, who performs widely in opera and oratorio, sang at Prince Philip’s 2021 funeral.

Second prize — The Yorkshire Music Future Fund Prize of £1,500 — went to baritone Harrison Robb and pianist Catriona Mackenzie.

Third prize, the £500 Armitage Prize, chosen by the audience also went to Harrison and Catriona.

Selected finalists are also offered paid recitals at Harrogate International Festivals and Leeds Song.

This was the competition’s fourth year. The judges were festival director Robert Ogden, the former musical director of Opera North, Paul Daniel, the soprano Carolyn Sampson, the accompanist Anna Tilbrook, and Sir Andrew Lawson-Tancred.

The New Voices Competition was launched in 2023 by Northern Aldborough Festival in response to funding cuts in the music sector, to provide a platform for emerging talent.

Last year's winner, the Scottish soprano Rachel Munro and pianist Jia Ning Ng, also performed last night at the festival.

The Northern Aldborough Festival, which is now in its 32nd year, continues until this weekend.

The upcoming highlights include the Wild Arts opera company with Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in a production by Danielle de Niese, an evening with legendary broadcaster John Humphrys, and a last night outdoor concert in the grounds of Aldborough Manor, featuring Oasis tribute band, Definitely Oasis.