Nora Goodridge Awardee, soprano Samantha Clarke wins GSMD Gold Medal

Many congratulations to AMF awardee soprano Samatha Clarke who is this year's winner of the GSMD Gold Medal, the School’s most prestigious prize for outstanding soloists. Samatha has been supported by the AMF Nora Goodridge Emerging Artist Award during the two years of her Artist Diploma in Opera Studies.

The Finals took place at the Barbican with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Farnes.

Afterwards, Samantha said "I felt very privileged to be performing on the Barbican stage and the support from the audience was so encouraging. It was lovely to have my tutor Yvonne Kenny watching my performance and I can’t thank her and my wonderful accompanist Michael Pandya enough for their help and guidance.”

The distinguished panel of judges included bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, GSMD alumnus and winner of the 1989 Gold Medal; Kevin Murphy, Director of Coaching and Music Administration for Indiana University Opera Theater; mezzo-soprano Ann Murray DBE; and Jonathan Vaughan, Vice-Principal and Director of Music at Guildhall School.

The Gold Medal award was founded and endowed by Sir H. Dixon Kimber in 1915. Previous winners include Jacqueline du Pré (1960), Patricia Rozario (1979), Tasmin Little (1986) and Bryn Terfel (1989).

Samantha's recent engagements include the roles of Georgiana in 'Georgiana' (Buxton International Festival) and Musetta in 'La Bohème' (Opera North).

She is to the right of the photo in the blue dress, surrounded by the judges and her fellow contestants.