Flautist Laura Lucas has won the First Prize of £5000 and Gold Medal at the 2008 Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition.

The Final took place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre on Monday 19 May. Prizes were awarded by Lord Luce, former Lord Chamberlain and President of the Royal Over-Seas League. The Chairman of Judges was Gavin Henderson CBE.

The other finalists, each receiving £2500, were pianist Michael Ierace, 24 (Australia); cellist Victoria Simonsen, 25 (New Zealand); and tenor Adrian Ward, 25. The winners of the Ensemble prizes, the Brodowski Quartet and Camarilla Ensemble (wind quintet) were also featured in the concert.

In addition to Gavin Henderson, the panel of judges were Paul Archibald, John Blakely, Teresa Cahill, George Caird, Timothy Dean, Linda Esther Gray, Carmine Lauri, Nona Liddell MBE, Celia Nicklin, Rodney Slatford OBE, Kathron Sturrock and Frank Wibaut.

Third Annual Pettman/ROSL ARTS International Scholarship for a New Zealand Chamber Ensemble

The Pettman/ROSL ARTS International Scholarship for a New Zealand chamber ensemble was established in 2006. The Royal Over-Seas League is pleased to announce details of the 2008 Scholarship.

The scholarship package, valued at NZ$50,000 offers the prizewinning ensemble:

• return economy flights from New Zealand to London
• accommodation and hospitality for four/five weeks in the UK (including two weeks at Over-Seas House London, one week at Over-Seas House Edinburgh and one week at Dartington International Summer School )
• five hundred pounds sterling each to cover personal expenses in the UK
• consultation lessons/coaching with prominent UK teachers
• a lunchtime recital in London at St Martin-in-the-Fields or St James’s Piccadilly
• evening concerts in London for the ROSL
• concerts for ROSL as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe chamber music series
• visits to Music Colleges in London, Manchester and Glasgow
• tickets for a wide range of cultural events (depending on time of visit) including the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, concerts at the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre and Wigmore Hall, London; also Edinburgh International Festival.

The aim of the Scholarship is to offer outstanding young NZ musicians the opportunity at the outset of their careers to experience the richness and diversity of professional musical life in the UK, and to investigate opportunities for post-graduate study in the UK..  For further information, please visit the music section.