Phelps Award

The Lawrence Phelps Recital Award is a biennial competition, instituted by Dame Gillian Wier in 2004. It is aimed at young aspiring organists who live in or study within the dioceses of Newcastle, Durham, Edinburgh or Carlisle.

The winner will be invited to give a recital on the Abbey organ as a highlight of the 2009 Music in the Abbey series, and this will be preceded by two one-an-a-half hour lessons with the distinguished recitalist and teacher David Sanger. Previous competion winners have been Ruraidh Sutherland (Edinburgh, 2005), now assistant organist at St Mary's Warwick, and Lawrence Tao (Durham, 2007), now organ scholar at Melbourne Cathedral.

Auditions take place on Friday 11th September 2009 in Hexham Abbey. The adjudication panel will be Michael Haynes (Hexham), Michael Harris (Edinburgh) and Edward Taylor (Carlisle). There will be an opportunity to practice on the Abbey organ beforehand, and overnight hospitality and travel expenses can be provided. The winner's recital will take place in 2010 in the Abbey.

Entries are welcome from any young organist from the relvant dioceses, 16-21 inclusive, who plays at the appropriate standard. Entries will need to be supported by a letter of commendation from a teacher, and the closing date for applications is monday 18th May 2009.

An application form can be downloaded here (pdf, 54kb).

© Music in the Abbey 2008.