Singing Competitions

In 2024 there will be three days of live singing competitions, as well as the Edith Poulsen Singing and Accompanists’ Prize Competition in the Free Church, Hampstead Garden Suburb

Singing Day 1 – Younger Singers 

From 4.30 pm on Friday 15 March  Adjudicator: Marika Rauscher

Singing Day 2 – Musical Theatre

From 3.00 pm on Sunday 17 March  Adjudicator: Marika Rauscher

Singing Day 3 – Adults

From 6:30 pm on Monday 18 March Adjudicator: Anna Loveday

For the Musical Theatre and adult Opera/Operetta classes, both the singing and the characterisation of the part are important. Costumes and props are welcome but, if used, should be simple.


The Association of English Singers & Speakers Music Festivals Trophy

We are very grateful to The Association of English Singers & Speakers for sponsoring the AESS Prize. Entrants should sing two songs by British composers and recite in English one poem or piece of prose by a British poet or author. The candidate should introduce the programme and may choose the order in which to recite and sing. The songs and poem or prose should share a common theme. The AESS prize will be £25 cash, the AESS Trophy and a copy of one of the AESS’ Century of English Song books. The prize will be awarded to the winner of singing class 203.


Herbert Howells Song Prize

We are very grateful to The Herbert Howells Society for sponsoring a prize for the best performance of a song by Herbert Howells in any competition over the course of the Festival. The Herbert Howells Society Prize is £25 cash plus a copy of one of the books of Howells published songs from a list supplied to the winner. Each adjudicator of singing competitions will nominate one singer and the winner will be chosen by agreement from among those nominees.
The eligible singing competitions will be held on Monday 18 March and Tuesday 16 April – the Edith Poulsen Singing Prize Competition.


The following information applies to each of the three days of singing competitions

All entrants may sing with or without instrumental accompaniment, but no backing tracks are allowed.

Pieces may not be repeated in different competitions.

All entrants, but especially those with younger voices, should ensure they present vocally appropriate repertoire.

Entrants must provide the Adjudicator with a clean copy of the music for each work to be performed. Pieces may not be repeated in different competitions.

Entrants are reminded to introduce themselves and the piece(s) they are singing and to wear dress appropriate for a performance.

For each entry, age is the age on 1st September before the date of the class so that all the entrants in a class are in the same school year.

If an entrant has been a pupil of the Adjudicator in the year prior to the Festival or is well-known to the Adjudicator, they should contact the Section Administrator before entering.

Singers wishing to perform their own compositions may like to enter one of the composition classes.


For full details, see the Choirs and Singing Syllabus using the link to the right or below.

The closing date for singing classes is Friday 1 March 2024.

Please click on the button below to enter. The first time that you use it, you will need to register.

How to Enter Facebook

Click the ‘read more’ button below to see videos from 2018 and 2019 competitions

Read more

Sign-up to our newsletter to receive the latest news about the festival