Guildhall School announces finalists for its most prestigious prize: the Gold Medal

Wednesday 13 May at 7pm, Barbican Hall

Guildhall School of Music & Drama is pleased to announce the finalists for its most prestigious prize for musicians: the Gold Medal. The prize is awarded to singers and instrumentalists in alternate years. In 2020 it’s the turn of the instrumentalists, and the finalists are: Soohong Park (piano), Ben Tarlton (cello) and Ke Ma (piano).

On Wednesday 13 May each finalist will perform a concerto of their choice with Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Leaper, before a Barbican Hall audience.

The programme features Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor performed by Soohong Park; Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor performed by Ben Tarlton; and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor performed by Ke Ma. The evening closes with the adjudication by the panel and announcement of the winner.

This year’s distinguished panel of judges are: Guildhall School Vice-Principal & Director of Music Jonathan Vaughan, conductor Adrian Leaper, BBC Radio 3 Editor Emma Bloxham, Barbican Centre's Head of Music Huw Humphreys and Director of IMG Artists Nicholas Mathias.

The Gold Medal award was founded and endowed by Sir H Dixon Kimber in 1915. Since 1950 it has been open to singers and instrumentalists in alternate years. Previous winners include William Primrose (1922), Jacqueline du Pré (1960), Patricia Rozario (1979), Tasmin Little (1986) and Bryn Terfel (1989).

Recent winners include soprano Magdalena Molendowska (2013) who made her debut as Katerina in The Greek Passion at Opera North in 2019; and cellist Michael Petrov (2014) performs with Trio Isimsiz throughout Europe in 2020. 2015 saw two winners of the singers’ Gold Medal: soprano Jennifer Witton covers the role of Michaela in ENO’s production of Carmen at the start of 2020 and mezzo-soprano Marta Fontanals-Simmons sings the role of Jennie Hildebrand in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene in Monte Carlo.

Harpist Oliver Wass, the winner in 2016, continues to perform a busy schedule of solo recitals and concerts with the award-winning Pelléas Ensemble, which was formed at Guildhall School, whilst Josep-Ramon Olivé (2017) performs in opera productions all over Europe this year. Pianist Joon Yoon, who won in 2018, takes part in the Gurwitz International Piano Competition in Texas in early 2020. Last year’s winner, Samantha Clarke, makes her house debut at the Festival d’opéra de Québec.

Tickets for the Gold Medal final will be on general sale from Monday 10 February via the Barbican website. Priority booking is currently available for the members of the Guildhall Circle - find out more about becoming a Circle member at gsmd.ac.uk/circle