Gwyn Williams Viola Prize

Gwyn Williams Viola Prize and RBC Strings Competition

Finalists from RBC’s Viola Department and the broader Strings Department compete for the inaugural Gwyn Williams Viola Prize, and the RBC Strings Prize.

The Gwyn Williams Viola Prize is generously donated by Stephannie Williams.

Gwyn Williams had a long and distinguished career as Principal Viola of the CBSO. Writing in the programme for the 2017 memorial concert after his passing in 2015 Sir Simon Rattle described him as “exactly the kind of colleague that all of us would wish for, enthusiastic, skilled and positive”.

In his teaching, both at Kings School Worcester (where he taught violin and viola to many pupils who became distinguished musicians in their own right) and at Birmingham Conservatoire, Gwyn worked hard to instil those qualities in his students, and it is in his memory that his widow Stephannie launched the Gwyn Williams Bursary to continue to help aspiring young players.

Many RBC students have already benefitted in various ways from the Bursary’s assistance; one of them, Leeloo Creed, was selected to be soloist in a performance of the Telemann Viola Concerto with the Sinfonia of Birmingham conducted by Christopher Morley in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, in October last year. Now the Gwyn Williams Bursary is proud to be funding this new Viola Competition for Royal Birmingham Conservatoire students, rewarding both prowess in performance and progress through continued study.

Gwyn Williams Viola Prize - 18:30-19:50

Interval - 19:50-20:10

RBC Strings Prize – 20:10-21:30

This event lasts approximately three hours.