Our inaugural Ashburnham English Song Competition, in 2023, saw mezzo-soprano Annabel Kennedy win the First Prize for Singers. Annabel spent the summer of 2023 as a Jerwood Artist at Glyndebourne and achieved success in the prestigious Royal Overseas League in 2024, winning the prize for the singing section of the competition. In 2024, Annabel covered the role of Cherubino for Garsington Opera’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and joined the Opera Studio at Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf. Annabel was accompanied by Emily Hoh, who also attended the Royal Overseas League 2024 competition, and won the Collaborative Piano section, and in October 2023, Emily took part in the English Song Course as a Britten Pears Young Artist exploring the English Song repertoire.
The second prize for Singers was won by soprano Catriona Hewitson. Later in 2023, Catriona sang the role of Micaela in the Waterperry Opera production of Bizet’s Carmen, as well as the role of Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel for Scottish Opera. Catriona returned to Battle in July 2023 with pianist Katrina Yorgova to perform two short programmes in An Evening of Midsummer Delights, an account of which may be found in our Past Events page. As an Emerging Artist with Scottish Opera, Catriona sang the role of Queen Casilda in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers which you can see in its entirety on BBC Four I-Player by clicking HERE.
The Hope Gosse Award for a collaborative pianist was won by Ana Manastireanu, who accompanied Catriona Hewitson in the competition. Later in 2023, Ana, along with Annabel Kennedy, won both the Press Jury and Junior Jury prizes at the 56th s’Hertogenbosch International Vocal Competition. Their full performance in the final, is available on Youtube.
