The 2019 Prince’s Prize Finals Concert took place on Monday 29th April at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Five candidates – Dominic Sedgwick baritone, Andrei Iliushkin piano, Matilda Lloyd trumpet, William Thomas bass, and Elliot Gresty clarinet – competed for a prize of £10,000 and a Silver Medal. They provided an exciting showcase of the talent supported by the Musicians’ Company, and at the end of the evening the Prince’s Prize was presented to Elliot Gresty.  He is pictured receiving his medal from the Master, Michael Lewin FRAM.

Elliot joins a list of past winners that include Amy Dickson, Milos Karadaglic and Duncan Rock. Elliot studied at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and is now a postgraduate student at the Royal College of Music, studying with Richard Hosford, Timothy Lines and Barnaby Robson. From 2012–2014 he was the principal clarinettist of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and in February 2018 he won the Royal Over-Seas League Award for a Woodwind Player of Promise. He has played with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra, and is currently on trial for the position of Principal Clarinet with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Elliot plays regularly with the new music group An Assembly whose concerts have featured on Radio 3’s Hear and Now and Open Ear programmes. He has been selected to take part in the 2018/19 London Philharmonic Foyle Future Firsts Development Programme.

The distinguished panel of adjudicators comprised conductor Jane Glover CBE, baritone Donald Maxwell and saxophonist, composer and conductor John Harle.

Will Thomas won the Prudi Hoggarth Audience Prize, decided by an audience ballot.

Photograph: Ian Roberts, A-Star PR