Gold Medal 2019 - Samantha Clarke
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 was in total disbelief when I heard my name read out, but I am completely buzzing and over the moon to have won the Gold Medal. What an honour! I felt very privileged to be performing on the Barbican stage and the support from the audience was so encouraging. It was lovely to have my tutor Yvonne Kenny watching my performance and I can’t thank her and my wonderful accompanist Michael Pandya enough for their help and guidance.”
Guildhall alumnus Sir Bryn Terfel, who won the Medal in 1989, joined Ann Murray DBE, Jonathan Vaughan, Richard Farnes and Kevin Murphy on the distinguished judging panel.
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.