FRIDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2019 – Soprano Kiandra Howarth has been named as winner of the 2019 Grange Festival International Singing Competition and has been awarded the prize of £10,000. Joint second prize of £3,750 each was presented to soprano Samantha Clarke and mezzo soprano Claire Barnett-Jones. Each of these prize winners will also be offered the opportunity to perform a role in a future edition of The Grange Festival.

The final of the competition took place at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London last night where each of the six finalists performed a 20-minute programme accompanied by the Academy of Ancient Music and conducted by Peter Robinson. As throughout the competition, all repertoire performed was music composed before 1830.

Other prizes included the Audience Prize of £2,000 and the Academy of Ancient Music Prize of a future engagement with the orchestra which were both presented to soprano Samantha Clarke.

Comprising representatives of the classical music and opera industry, the jury for the final included Dame Felicity Palmer (Patron); Michael Chance CBE (Artistic Director and CEO, The Grange Festival); David Gowland (Artistic Director, Jette Parker Young Artists Programme, ROH); Helen Hogh (Director of Vocal Artists, Groves Artists); Rosa Mannion (Professor of Singing, RCM); John Graham-Hall (Tenor); Peter Robinson (Competition Final Conductor); Scott Cooper (Director of Artistic Administration, The Grange Festival); Hugh Canning (Opera Critic, The Sunday Times); Mary Miller (General and Artistic Director, Bergen National Opera); Alexander van Ingen (CEO, Academy of Ancient Music).

All 2019 Prize winners

First Prize (£10,000)
Kiandra Howarth, soprano

Joint Second Prize (£3,750 each)
Samantha Clarke, soprano
Claire Barnett-Jones, mezzo soprano

Audience Prize (£2,000)
Samantha Clarke, soprano

Finalist’s Prize (£1,000 each)
Helen Charlston, mezzo soprano
Jaeil Kim, tenor
Jerome Knox, baritone

Academy of Ancient Music Prize (offer of an engagement with the orchestra)
Samantha Clarke, soprano

The Waynflete Singers Prize (offer of a concert with the Waynflete Singers in Winchester Cathedral)
Kiandra Howarth, soprano
Claire Barnett-Jones, mezzo soprano
Jaeil Kim, tenor
Jerome Knox, baritone

Wellhayes Recital Prize (recital and residency at Wellhayes Vineyard, Devon)
Alexandra Flood, soprano (chosen from the semi-final)

Villa Medici Prize (recital in Il Teatrino, Villa Medici, Brianza, Italy)
Claire Barnett-Jones, mezzo soprano
Jerome Knox, baritone