RNCM Williams-Howard Prize Recital

Presented by the Michael Harper Foundation and the Royal Northern College of Music.

The first prize of its kind in Europe, the Williams-Howard competition encourages the study and performance of art songs by composers of African heritage and is open to Year III, IV and Postgraduate Royal Northern College of Music singers and collaborative pianists. The prize was established in 2021 by renowned countertenor and RNCM Professor of Singing, the late Michael Harper, in honour of two special people: his grandfather Chester Ambrose Williams Sr and Helen Palmer Howard, his teacher and mentor who encouraged him to sing from an early age. This recital showcases prize winners from the 2022-4 editions of the Williams-Howard Competition.

The Michael Harper Music Foundation was established in memory of Michael Harper, a distinguished opera singer and teacher who was widely respected for his artistry, integrity and commitment to excellence in classical music. The  Foundation seeks to preserve and advance his legacy by supporting the performance, study and promotion of classical music of recognised artistic merit, with a particular focus on composers, arrangers and musicians of African, Caribbean and Black heritage, including those of the African diaspora.