Editor“This could change your life”: Young Swansea singers urged to enter £3,000 voice contest
The Pendine International Voice of the Future competition — a major highlight of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod — is now open for entries, with organisers calling on talented Welsh performers to put themselves forward before the March 12 deadline.
The contest, launched in 2013 to help launch the careers of rising classical stars, has been given a major boost after sponsors Pendine Park pledged five more years of support. The winner will walk away with the Pendine Trophy, a solid silver salver, and a £3,000 prize, while the runner‑up receives £1,000.
Eisteddfod Artistic Director Dave Danford said the competition has already transformed the careers of past winners, describing it as “a launch pad to a successful professional career in opera or classical music”. He said the stories of previous champions — including Singaporean soprano Shimona Rose and South Walian Eirlys Myfanwy Davies — show “what a difference entering can make to fledgling careers”.
Both singers will return to the festival this summer as soloists in the long‑awaited Uniting Nations: One World concert, composed and conducted by Sir Karl Jenkins and featuring a massed choir of more than 100 voices alongside the Llangollen International Orchestra.
Danford said the £3,000 top prize can be life‑changing for young performers trying to fund music college, postgraduate training or early‑career development. He added that the competition’s global reputation attracts entrants from across Europe, Asia and the Americas, but stressed that Welsh singers are strongly encouraged to apply.
Pendine Park founder Mario Kreft, whose organisation supports the contest through the Pendine Arts and Community Trust, said backing young musicians fits perfectly with the care group’s ethos as it marks its 40th anniversary. He said music “provides the golden thread” through their work and plays an important role in enriching lives.
Entrants must be aged 18 or over and submit an audio or video recording with proof of age. They will perform contrasting programmes in the preliminary rounds and final, singing works from opera, oratorio, lieder or song in their original language. Around 25 singers will be invited to compete following the March 12 selection process, with the grand final taking place on Sunday, July 12.
This year’s Eisteddfod will also feature appearances by Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé and the Orchestral Qawwali Project.
Full entry details are available at eisteddfodcompetitions.co.uk, with the full festival programme at llangollen.net.
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