Harrogate village festival launches nationwide search for best classical singers with new £7,000 competition

Located in the village of Aldborough in the Harrogate district seven miles to the north-east of Knaresborough, the Northern Aldborough Festival has earned a world-class reputation for bringing exceptional music to new audiences in rural locations where it would not normally be heard.

Now organisers of the annual event in this picturesque Roman village are launching The New Voices Singing Competition – a search for the best budding classical vocal talent of 2023 in the UK with a prize fund of £7,000.

To show just how high calibre it is, the new competition boasts a distinguished judging panel featuring one of Britain’s best-loved sopranos, Dame Felicity Lott.

“Hundreds of young singers graduate every year with dreams and aspirations to become professionals but the majority have to seek temporary work while they build their careers,” said Robert Ogden, artistic director at the Northern Aldborough Festival.

"Our festival has, from its inception, strived to support and nurture young talent.

"At a time when the arts sector - particularly opera - has faced funding cuts, we feel a competition to help launch singing careers is of its time.

"What’s more, there are very few significant open vocal competitions north of London.”

The winner of the new competition will receive The Seastock Trust Prize of £5,000, with a second prize of £1,500 from The Yorkshire Music Future Fund, and a third Audience Prize of £500.

Winners may be offered performance slots at associated festivals to the competition, among them Leeds Lieder, Newbury Spring Festival, Ryedale Festival and Music@Malling, as well as the Northern Aldborough Festival itself.

Also on the judging panel is the artistic director of The Early Opera Company, Christian Curnyn, director of Leeds Lieder, Joseph Middleton, and Robert Ogden.

The panel is chaired by Sir Andrew Lawson-Tancred, chairman of the Northern Aldborough Festival.

The competition is open to solo singers and ensembles of up to eight performers aged 21-32 years-old with a deadline of April 14.

To find out more, visit www.aldboroughfestival.co.uk