HCO SINGER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION 2025
in collaboration with
Prizewinners
Following the semi-finals and finals held on 1 November at St Swithun's School, Winchester, we are delighted to announce the winners of this year's competition:
Nigel Beale Grange Festival First Prize - £2500
George Reynolds - Baritone
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Roger Higgins Second Prize - £1500
and Anthony Lowrey Audience Prize - £750
Sarah Harrison Prize - £1000
Quito Clothier - Tenor
Rosalind Armstrong Prize - £750
Erin Rossington - Soprano
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Wendy Blamire Award* - £300
George Curnow - Tenor
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​*The Wendy Blamire Award is given for outstanding linguistic and artistic commitment to text in at least two European languages other than English.
George Reynolds
Quito Clothier
Will Prior
Erin Rossington
About the Competition
Inaugurated in 2018, the HCO Singer of the Year Competition provides an important platform for young vocal talent. Selected prizewinners perform in recital and opera with us, and all entrants may be considered for future opportunities. Details of previous competitions, including lists of prizewinners, are given in the year tabs under HCO Competition, above.​
For the fourth year running, we were delighted to collaborate with The Grange Festival. As well as being invited to perform with Hurn Court Opera, the winner of the 2025 Nigel Beale Grange Festival First Prize was entitled to the offer of a contract in The Grange Festival Chorus in 2026, subject to a sufficient standard having been reached. We are most grateful to our colleagues at The Grange Festival for this valued association.
Tyler Stoops, Quito Clothier, David Gibson, Patricia Rozario OBE, Will Prior, George Reynolds
Judging the semi-finals and finals were Patricia Rozario OBE, international soprano, (Chair); Tyler Stoops, CEO Grange Festival; and David Gibson, conductor.
The competition accompanists were Hamish Brown and Chad Vindin.
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​Semi-finalists:
Emma Humann (soprano)
Will Prior (countertenor)
Theodore McAlindon (bass)
Erin Rossington (soprano)
Quito Clothier (tenor)
George Reynolds (baritone)
Maryam Wocial (soprano)
George Curnow (tenor)
Alexandria Moon (mezzo soprano)
Wenlan He (soprano)
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Hamish Brown, Chad Vindin, Alexandria Moon, Wenlan He, Quito Clothier, Maryam Wocial, Emma Humann, Will Prior, Erin Rossington, George Curnow, Theodore McAlindon, George Reynolds
Finals Day 2025
‘Once again the overall standard of the entries was extremely high,’ said Lynton Atkinson, Artistic Director of Hurn Court Opera, ‘Audience members were completely engrossed, both by the artistry of the singers, and also by attempting to predict the decisions of the judges! In the event the judges were unanimous in their choice of winner.’
Four finalists were selected to perform in the afternoon. Each delivered a 20-minute programme. Apart from limiting repetition between rounds, the singers had considerable freedom in their choice of repertoire, provided Competition criteria were met.​​
‘Once again we include singing in English in the criteria to really assess the competitor’s ability to communicate directly with the audience,’ explained Lynton. ‘And the requirement to perform song as well as operatic repertoire allows each singer to display their imagination, linguistic, dramatic and artistic ability in a short time, and of course compensates for the lack of suitable operatic repertoire for certain categories of voice in certain languages.’
​‘As ever, we and the singers were especially lucky this year to have two truly exceptional pianists in Hamish Brown and Chad Vindin,’ he added. ‘And we are immensely grateful to the donors of our competition prizes: Nigel Beale; Anthony Lowrey; Roger Higgins; Richard and Judy Haes; Rosalind Armstrong and Wendy Blamire - many of whom were present throughout the day.’
Prizewinners and prize donors
Nigel Beale, George Reynolds
Will Prior, Roger Higgins
Anthony Lowrey, Will Prior