Applications for the 2024 Whitworth Roach Classical Music Performance Competition are now open. The finals will be held on Wednesday 2 October at 7pm, audience members can register here.

Through the generosity of Ms Christine Roach, students from The Australian National University are given the opportunity to perform in front of an esteemed panel and guests for their share of $20,000 in prize money.

Christine Roach was a passionate supporter of music students, who gained great pleasure in attending the competition each year. Over the years her generosity was of the highest order, which extended to support of the ANU Orchestra as well. 

As a key event on the School of Music and ANU calendar, the competition celebrates the talent and dedication of classical music students. Full-time ANU students from across the campus are eligible to enter this competition to win one of the following prizes.  

First prize - $10,000 
Second prize - $5,000 
Third prize - $2,500 
People’s Choice prize - $2,500 
 
Applications open: Wednesday 4 September 
Applications close: Sunday 22 September 
Heats: Friday 27 September  
Finals: Wednesday 2 October 
 
Guidelines 

• Entrants must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program
• Entrants must not be holding an appointment as an academic staff member
• Entrant must not have previously won first prize in the Whitworth Roach Classical Music Performance Competition
• Applications will close at 5pm on Sunday 22 September
• Entrants must prepare a 30-minute program of music and must perform 10 minutes of their program in the heats
• Heats will take place 9am-2pm Friday the 27th of September in the Larry Sitsky Recital Room - we will not accept video submissions
• Four (4) entrants will be selected to perform in the finals on the evening of Wednesday 2 October

>> APPLY PLEASE CLICK HERE.

This year, we are offering eligible students the chance to compete for the Margaret Smiles Associate Musician Prize for Pianists ($2,000) and the Llewellyn Choir Prize for Most Outstanding Instrumentalist ($500) and Vocalist ($500) within the Whitworth Roach Classical Music Performance Competition. 

Pianists wishing to compete for the Margaret Smiles Associate Musician Prize must: 

• be enrolled in a program leading to the award of a degree offered by the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences 

• the instrumentalist/singer must perform at least 10 minutes of their program with their CASS associate pianist and may perform the remaining 20 minutes of their program with another associate musician 

 
Instrumentalists and vocalists wishing to compete for the Llewellyn Choir Prizes must: 

• be enrolled in a program leading towards a Bachelor degree in the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences 

• must perform at least 10 minutes of their program with their CASS associate pianist and may perform the remaining 20 minutes of their program with another associate musician  

The Margaret Smiles Associate Musician Prize for Pianists encourages the art of professional musical collaboration at the ANU School of Music. This annual award is in memory of Margaret Smiles, honouring her dedication and contribution to Canberra's musical life, in particular the School of Music Community Choir, now known as the Llewellyn Choir. Margaret worked with the choir for many years, sharing her love and joy for music with its members. She is remembered for her passion, focus and commitment to nurturing singers, revelling in the vast-ranging repertoire of the choir. 

Since 2009 The Llewellyn Choir (TLC) has funded the Llewellyn Choir Prizes for the Most outstanding Instrumentalist and Most Outstanding Vocalist, alongside the Margaret Smiles Associate Musician Prize for Pianists. Under its renewed Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation with the School of Music, commencing in 2024, TLC is delighted to offer the winners of these three Prizes a performance opportunity with TLC in the following year. Margaret was TLC’s inaugural, much loved and highly talented accompanist for many years. New members are welcome. 

File attachments 

• CoA - Whitworth Roach Classical Music Prize.pdf (PDF, 379.96 KB) 

• margaret-smiles-accompaniment-prize-coa.pdf (PDF, 18.16 KB) 

• Llewellyn Choir Prize Instrumentalist CoA.pdf (PDF, 360.09 KB) 

• Llewellyn Choir Prize Vocalist CoA.pdf (PDF, 360.61 KB) 

• Llewellyn Choir logo.jpg (JPG, 128.4 KB)