LEWIS MEMORIAL PRIZE 2026 COMPETITION

The Anthony Lewis Memorial Prize Competition was established by the Musica Britannica Trust in 1986 in memory of the first General Editor and Chairman of Musica Britannica, Sir Anthony Lewis. Today, the renamed Lewis Memorial Prize Competition commemorates the lives of both Sir Anthony and his wife Lesley, Lady Lewis, who supported it for many years. A generous bequest from Lady Lewis has enabled the competition to continue as an annual event, held alternately for singers, keyboard players, or consorts.

The 2026 Competition is for keyboard players and will be held in London at the Royal Academy of Music on 9 April 2026.

Eligibility Criteria

The Competition is open to students currently registered at a UK higher-education institution (university or conservatoire), and to early-career performers who have graduated from such an institution no more than five years before the date of the competition.

1. Applicants may be registered as either full- or part-time students.
2. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students are eligible to apply.
3. Applicants need not necessarily be reading for a Music degree.
4. For early-career performers, the period of five years begins from the date of their graduation from their highest-achieved higher-education qualification in Music.
5. Students who are registered as study-abroad students at a UK institution throughout the period when the competition runs (October 2025 to April 2026) are also eligible to apply.
6. Applicants must provide proof of their current institutional registration or graduation date (e.g. via official transcript or degree certificate) with their application.

How to Enter

Candidates must submit an application form, together with an audio-visual audition recording, and two letters of recommendation. Applicants should consult the full list of competition regulations and procedures given below before submitting their application.

1. The audition recording must be of no more than ten minutes' duration and must be clearly introduced as a recording made specifically for the Lewis Memorial Prize Competition. Professional-quality recordings are not required.
2. The pieces chosen for audition need not be taken from Musica Britannica volumes.
3. The recording must be sent as an electronic audio-visual file (mp4 or wmv format only) with the application.
4. The letters of recommendation must come from established musicians with direct knowledge of the candidate's performing capabilities, one of whom should be connected to the candidate's institution / former institution (this may include recently retired staff).
5. The letters of recommendation must be sent with the application, so the applicant must arrange to receive them from the referees in advance of the deadline.
6. Applications, letters of recommendation and audition video recordings should be sent by the candidate by email to the organiser, Rachel Stott (lewismemorialprize@gmail.com) by 5pm on Friday 5 December 2025. Audio-visual files too large to include in an email can be sent via an internet-based file-transfer service, preferably WeTransfer, provided that a file link is included in the application email.

Competition Regulations and Procedures

1. The competition judges will select up to six finalists from the candidates' audition recordings to participate in the main competition.
2. Candidates invited to participate as finalists must prepare a full recital programme of 20 minutes' total duration. All repertory for the recital must be drawn and performed from Musica Britannica editions. A list of relevant keyboard editions is appended. Any candidate who has difficulty in accessing the listed Musica Britannica volumes via their institutions should contact the Secretary to the Trust, Mr Christopher Scobie, by email (secretary@musicabritannica.org.uk), so that access to the relevant material can be arranged.
3. Competitors should perform in historically appropriate style(s). The instruments available for the recital will be harpsichord, chamber organ and piano. The harpsichord and chamber organ will be tuned to A415.
4. The Competition judges aim to be able to contact candidates successful in the audition round by 9 January 2026. Full programme details from successful candidates will be required by 17 February 2026 and should include the timings and a note of all keyboard instrument(s) required.
5. The Competition will be judged by the distinguished performer Davitt Moroney, together with three members of the Editorial Committee of Musica Britannica.
6. Candidates are encouraged to seek a contribution towards travelling expenses from their institutions, where applicable. If institutions cannot cover some or all of these costs, or for players for whom institutional membership does not apply, performers may apply to the Musica Britannica trust for assistance with travel expenses incurred within the UK only, which will be reimbursed after the event, on presentation of valid standard-class travel receipts.
7. Details of rehearsal facilities and times, together with the programme for the Competition, will be sent to all candidates as soon as possible after the closing date for receipt of their programme details (17 February 2026).

Competition Awards

1. Up to three prizes will be awarded: the performer awarded First Prize will receive £2,000, the Second Prize will be £1,000, and the Third £500.
2. All winners will also receive three Musica Britannica volumes of their choice.
3. Prize winners are encouraged to present their recital programme as a public performance and/or recording following the competition. The Musica Britannica Trust is willing to contribute to the costs of such a performance and/or recording where requested, and will seek to publicise performances and recordings via their Web pages and social media accounts.