Gold Medal 2019 - Samantha Clarke
This performance is no longer available to stream. Thank you to everyone who watched and supported this performance.
The Gold Medal is Guildhall School’s most prestigious prize for outstanding soloists, endowed by Sir H. Dixon Kimber in 1915 and since the 1950s 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).
2019's final saw soprano Samantha Clarke win the prize in the singers' year, performing programmes of songs and arias of her choice before a Barbican Hall audience.
Enjoy an extract of her winning performance as she sings Puccini's Quando m'en vo from La bohème and Stravinsky's No word from Tom. I go to him from The Rake's Progress.
Samantha Clarke soprano
Richard Farnes conductor
Guildhall Symphony Orchestra
With thanks to the Barbican and City of London Corporation.
On her win, Clarke commented: “I am over the moon to have won the Gold Medal, the journey here has been amazing and I’m so happy. It was great playing with this orchestra with many of my friends in it and James Judd was such a welcoming conductor. I’d like to thank all those who supported me, particularly my tutor Ronan O’Hora who definitely brought the best out in me.”
The judging panel in 2018 included Donagh Collins, Chief Executive at Askonas Holt; Kathryn Enticott, Director at Enticott Music Management; Paul Hughes, General Manager at BBC Symphony Orchestra; Jonathan Vaughan, Vice-Principal and Director of Music at the Guildhall School; and the evening’s conductor James Judd.
Download the programme (PDF)
The Gold Medal - behind the scenes
Last year we went behind the scenes of the Gold Medal - hear what the prize means to our finalists and find out what it takes to get to the final in the Barbican Hall.