We are very excited to be celebrating 20 years of the Liz Lawrence Award - our yearly young musician's award which celebrates 18 year old musicians who are heading off to university to study music. Now in its 21st year we have seen 25 winners audition and celebrate their success by curating their own concert at venues throughout Wiltshire which have included Longleat House and Wiltshire Music Centre. To commemorate two decades of championing young talent, we are hosting a special concert at the beautiful Edington Priory featuring three alumni. All proceeds will go towards the musician's expenses, as well as back into the charity. This will be a wonderful full circle moment as the award enters its third decade.
The Hosts
Daisy Chapman (Creative Director) and Siân Dicker (President) will host the evening.
The Performers
Siân Dicker - Siân is a very busy soprano performing in operas up and down the country. Since taking on the role of President for WRM, she has joined Daisy on the panel for the Liz Lawrence Award audition, so it only seemed fitting that she open the night with her spectacular voice!
Joely Hudson - 2021 winner, Saxophone
Joely Hudson was one of our bursary students when she attended Warminster School. She auditioned with her saxophone in the midst of COVID madness in 2021 and as a result, her winner's concert was postponed until Autumn 2022, but this didn't slow her down. She had just completed her first year at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London studying Actor Musicianship and spent the summer working on her concert she named 'Sounds of the Summer'. Joely wowed the audience with her performances on piano, voice and saxophone. Tonight she focusses on just the one instrument - the saxophone - which won her the award 5 years ago.
Grace White - 2019 winner, Clarinet
Grace was another winner affected by the pandemic, winning in 2019 but not able to host her concert until 2021 thanks to the restrictions. This meant she had already completed two years of studying at ROyal Norther before coming back to Wiltshire to host her event, which was a fantastic night at The Cause, in Chippenham. Grace is now a professional clarinettist and music facilitator based in Manchester. Graduating from the RNCM in 2023, she is a freelance musician with a passion for sharing music in accessible ways. This includes as a hospital musician, playing on wards and in other healthcare settings with organisations such as Lime and Songbirds Music UK. As well as this, she is a practitioner with Omnimusic, a charity that works with children and adults with additional needs, creating opportunities for participants to express themselves creatively. She also delivers workshops for early years, intergenerational, and community settings. Grace regularly plays with Manchester Wind Orchestra and has played with St Cecelia Orchestra. She is also a tutor with Special Virtuosi and teaches as a woodwind tutor with Trafford Music Service.
Tonight, Grace will play French Romantic music for us from Messager and others.
Lorna Davis - 2007 winner, Cello
Lorna has been a friend of WRM for nearly a decade after winning in 2007 and since becoming a Trustee of the charity she has stayed local. Juggling teaching cello and raisin a young family Lorna is always ready to perform for us, having hosted a couple of Tune@Noons as well as playing for our last LL alumni Fundraiser 'Symphony the Best' in 2019.
David Knowles - Accompanist
Trowbridge based pianist David Knowles has been our 'go-to' accompanist for many years. He has performed countless Tune@Noon concerts as well as being our first port of call should a student need a pianist for their exams. David has a host of piano students in Trowbridge and is a huge supporter of WRM. We're very glad he was able to play for our 4 soloists today.
