The Guildhall Gold Medal 2023

The final of Guildhall School's most prestigious music prize, offering  songs and arias performed by four outstanding Guildhall vocalists:

Guildhall School’s premier music prize was founded in 1915 and since the 1950s it has been open to singers and instrumentalists in alternate years. This year it’s the turn of the singers, who will perform with piano and with Guildhall Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Farnes.

Previous winners of the Gold Medal include Jacqueline du Pré (1960), Tasmin Little (1986) and Sir Bryn Terfel (1989).

The Guildhall Gold Medal 2023 was awarded to mezzo-soprano Alexandra Achillea Pouta.

Finalists:

Miku Yasukawa soprano
songs and arias by Strauss, Debussy, Ravel, Mozart, Verdi and Hayasaka

Michael Lafferty-Smith baritone
songs and arias by Schubert, Rowarth, Barber, Ravel, Poulenc and Korngold

Alexandra Achillea Pouta mezzo soprano
songs and arias by Messiaen, Santoliquido, Varèse, Ligeti, Ravel, Bellini and Szymanowski

Lorna McLean soprano
songs and arias by Cilea, Griffes, Poulenc, Strauss, Puccini, Mozart and Wagner

Jury

Armin Zanner Vice-Principal & Director of Music, Guildhall School

Roberta Alexander Soprano

Sir Simon Keenlyside Baritone

Sue Spence Director, Askonas Holt

Michelle Williams Head of Casting, English National Opera and London Coliseum

Performers

Guildhall Symphony Orchestra

Richard Farnes conductor

Miku Yasukawa soprano

Michael Lafferty-Smith baritone

Alexandra Achillea Pouta mezzo soprano

Lorna McLean soprano

Florent Mourier piano

William Bracken piano

Aleksandra Myslek piano

In Conversation with the Gold Medal Finalists