Second Junior Finals
On the 21st of November, the second Ashburnham English Song Awards Junior Finals, was held at Abott’s Hall in Battle Abbey School. Students from across Sussex competed for the prestigious award and gained priceless experience learning and performing an extensive repetoire of English Song. Our wonderful judges consisted of Catherine Wyn-Rogers and Paul Nilon, and accompanying the performers, was pianist Ashley Beauchamp. It was a fantastic evening of music and it was wonderful to see the next generation of performers. Thank you, also, to our audiences for their support! You can read about the winners and runners up on our ‘Past Winners’ section.
‘Women in the Arts’
On Sunday the 18th of August, our wonderful Artistic Director, Louise Winter, was joined by actress Karen Drury and pianist, Arran Keith, for an afternoon of poetry, song and music, paying homage to some of the most prolific female artists. With performances of Emily Brontë’s poetry, monologues to Irving Berlin’s ‘Sisters’, and a piano piece by American artist Amy Beach, it truly was a remarable afternoon. Thank you to our marvellous performers, as well as the Stables Theatre, for their continued support of AESA!
‘English Song on a Summer’s Morning’ Recital
Our recent coffee morning recital was performed by Ashburnham 2024 Finalist, Soprano Karla Grant, and the 2024 Ashburnham Runner-Up Prize for a Pianist, Jia Ning Ng. Performing their repetoire ‘Love on the Land and Sea’, the musicians were also joined by our Artistic Director, Louise Winter, in a surprise performance which delighted audiences. It was a brilliant morning and thank you to everyone who attended!
Afternoon Recital, Sunday 18th Feb 2024
Composers have always learned from, loved and loathed each other. Distinguished mezzo-soprano Louise Winter and pianist William Hancox explored both the connections and the conflicts beneath the surface of songs by Brahms, Wolf, Duparc, Britten, Vaughan Williams, Rebecca Clarke, Muriel Herbert and others.
‘An Evening of Midsummer Delights’
Join us on the 29th July 2023, to enjoy an evening of music, poems and even some Shakespeare, to celebrate the beauty of Midsummer. Click HERE to read more.
English Song Public Masterclass
On 23rd November 2023 Dame Felicity Lott (below centre) and Sebastian Wybrew (far right), both of whom will be on the judging panel for each stage of this year’s competition, gave a memorably inspiring masterclass to four singers and their collaborative pianists. Held in the recital room at the Razumovsky Academy in London, this was a fantastic opportunity for the singers and audience alike, and more such events are planned.
First Junior Ashburnham English Song Awards Finals
It was good to see a packed Abbot’s Hall at Battle Abbey for the first Ashburnham English Song Junior Awards on 21st November 2023 and it quickly became evident that we were going to be hearing some very fine young voices. With the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Mr. Andrew Blackman, watching, this was a challenging event for the young singers and, suitably suited and booted, they all conquered their nerves and rose to the occasion. Works by composers such as Purcell, Ralph Vaughan Williams, John Ireland and Benjamin Britten were sung with the audience reacting warmly to each performance.
Adjudicating with our Artistic Director Louise Winter was Mary Weingold, a highly experienced and respected Professor of Voice at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London and before presenting the Awards, Mary explained the reasoning behind their choices: ‘the voice may be beautiful but the singer also needs to connect with the audience and tell the song’s story with emotion’. It was this ability that won Alfie Gidney the First Prize of a £100 voucher, kindly donated by Brittens Music. Alfie performed Go Lovely Rose by Roger Quilter and Dusk by Armstrong Gibbs. Mary Weingold was deeply impressed with Alfie’s beautiful voice, clear diction and, above all, his sensitive performance of the works he had chosen and she thought that a very exciting future could be ahead of him.
A second prize of a £50 Brittens Music voucher was awarded to Edie Holm for her lovely performance of A Blackbird Singing by Michael Head and Dream Valley by Roger Quilter. Too often, the contribution of the pianist can be overlooked, but it is always a collaborative performance with the pianist playing an equal role and there were some very promising young pianists accompanying the singers. Prizes were also awarded to Rupert Sheppard and Alexander Wakeford for their exceptionally fine playing; these are surely names to watch for in the years ahead.
It was both delightful and encouraging to hear songs from our centuries-old heritage of music brought to life by a new generation of singers.
We are so grateful to Battle Abbey School for making this event possible by allowing us to use the beautiful Abbot’s Hall and for their generous hospitality afterwards. Also to Brittens Music for donating the Singers’ prizes.
