SWAP'ra IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE REBECCA CLARKE SONG COMPETITION | ENTRIES OPEN 1 OCTOBER | READ MORE HERE
What is the Rebecca Clarke Song Competition?
A brand-new national competition for classical singers and pianists, shining a spotlight on British women composers of the past century and the extraordinary art songs that deserve their place in today’s canon.
We are so grateful to our competition supporters, including:
The Golsoncott Foundation | The Stanford Society | The Winship Foundation | Christopher Johnson | Private sponsors who wish to remain anonymous
Prizes
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First vocal prize - £5000
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First Pianist prize - £5000
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Second vocal prize - £1000
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Second prize for pianists - £1000
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Prize for the best performance of a song by a living British composer - £1000 (awarded to the duo)
Performances at London Song Festival and the chamber series at Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will be offered to the winners.
Eligibility
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Open to professional singer and pianist duos based full time in the UK.
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No upper age limit.
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Both singer and pianist must both be available for both the live rounds (January 19th and 24th)
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Entries cost £17 per person non-refundable administration fee. Pianists who do not wish to be considered for the prizes are exempt. Pianists who do wish to compete need only pay one entry fee, even if they are playing for more than one singer (Pianists - please submit one form for each duo you are entering with, and only select 'yes' to paid entry for one of your submissions.
Repertoire
Art songs in English by British women composers of the past 100 years, including songs chosen from the set list
First Round (Recording):
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Two art songs in English by women composers submitted on video or audio recording by November 28th latest.
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Videos are preferred but if it is impossible to provide videos then audio-only will be accepted.
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These do not need to be professionally made but please make sure the sound quality is clear enough to represent you well.
Semi-Final (Public performance at ROSL, 19 Jan 2026):
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10-12 minutes of English song by British women composers of the past 100 years (see guide list)
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At least two songs by Rebecca Clarke from the set list
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At least one song by a living British female composer (see guide list)
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Repertoire from the recorded submissions round may be repeated.
Final (Public performance at ROSL, 24 Jan 2026 7pm):
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17-20 minute programme of English Song repertoire by British women composers of the past century (see guide list)
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At least three songs by Rebecca Clarke from the set list
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At least one song by a living female composer (see guide list)
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A maximum of two songs may be repeated from either of the previous rounds (excluding the song by a living woman, which may be repeated)
Please note: The song The Seal Man is not eligible for the competition* - See note on repertoire set list
Apply here
Applications open on 1 October, 2025.
Repertoire
All competitors must include repertoire from the set list as detailed below.
Set Repertoire:
Please note you are welcome to make transpositions where needed. All transposed copies should be used only for performance and reference copies for the adjudicators. No sales of these copies should be made without formal permission from the rights holder.
You will need to present 2 songs from the list below in the semi-final round, and 3 from this list in the final round.
Click here for full repertoire requirements
Title | Duration | Tessitura |
|---|---|---|
A Dream | 2:15 | D4 - G5 |
One That is Ever Kind ('The Folly of Being Comforted') | 3:00 | E4 - A5 |
The Cherry Blossom Wand | 3:15 | C#4 - F#5 |
God Made a Tree | 2:25 | C4 - F5 |
Weep You no More Sad Fountains | 2:10 | C4 - G5 |
Cradle Song | 2:50 | E4 - G5 |
Eight O’Clock | 2:25 | D#4 - G5 |
Come, oh come, my life’s delight | 1:40 | E4 - F#5 |
Salley Gardens | 1:50 | D4 - E5 |
Shy One | 1:30 | C4 - A5 |
The Cloths of Heaven | 2:10 | C4 - F5 |
June Twilight | 2:40 | C4 - F#5 |
Oh Dreaming World | 3:00 | C4 - F5 |
Up Hill | 4:00 | C4 - E5 |
Tiger, Tiger | 4:20 | C4 - F5 |
Return of Spring | 2:00 | B3 - F#5 |
Greeting | 1:30 | C4 - A5 |
*NB The Seal Man is not eligible for inclusion in competition programmes
Our decision to exclude The Seal Man from the competition is because we feel that while it is a masterpiece, and Clarke’s most famous and celebrated song, it is now frequently programmed in recitals and competitions, and we want this competition to shine a light on the breadth of Clarke’s work and that of other women composers. By setting this restriction, we hope to give both artists and audiences the opportunity to encounter new and lesser-known repertoire, fulfilling the spirit of the competition.
Repertoire Support
To aid you in your investigations into the song repertoire of Rebecca Clarke, we draw your attention to two sister projects happening in conjunction with this competition:
November 7th, 2025
The launch of a new album of Rebecca Clarke’s Complete Songs. Featuring mezzo soprano Kitty Whately, tenor Nicholas Phan and pianist Anna Tilbrook, with guest appearances from Roderick Williams OBE and Gweneth Ann Rand, this new double disc features every song Clarke wrote, from her best known epic ballads to newly published world premiere recordings, unpublished early explorations into the genre, and newly commissioned chamber arrangements. It is a feast of brilliant artsong and should give you plenty of inspiration for your competition programmes. Listen/Buy album here
Wigmore Rebecca Clarke Focus Day
November 8th, 2025
An entire day celebrating Rebecca Clarke is taking place at Wigmore Hall. You can hear over 35 of her songs performed live by internationally renowned recitalists Ailish Tynan, Kitty Whately, Nicholas Phan, Ashley Riches and pianist Anna Tilbrook. Purchase tickets here
Living Composer Suggestions
You will be required to include at least one song by a living British female composer. Here is a list of a few names you may wish to look at, and their details. You may include any other you wish, this is not a set list, just some ideas.
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Sally Beamish
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Judith Bingham
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Charlotte Bray
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Cheryl Frances-Hoad
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Helen Grime
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Ella Jarman-Pinto
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Roxanna Panufnik
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Deborah Pritchard
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Freya Waley-Cohen
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Errollyn Wallen
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Judith Weir
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Heloise Werner
Historical composer suggestions
Other historical women composers you might like to look at are listed below. Many can be found on the SWAP’ra Forgotten Voices area of the Oxford International Song Festival website
You may include any other you wish, this is not a set list, just some ideas. You may also include songs by Rebecca Clarke which are not on the set list.
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Avril Coleridge Taylor
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Ina Boyle
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Madeleine Dring
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Dilys Elwyn Edwards
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Muriel Herbert
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Augusta Holmes
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Elaine Hugh Jones
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Morfydd Llwyn Owen
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Elizabeth Maconchy
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Ethyl Smyth
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Joan Trimble
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Grace Williams
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Maude Valerie White
Where to get scores?
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IMSLP:
Several of the Rebecca Clarke songs from the set list are available to download for free from the website IMSLP
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Music Libraries:
Many music libraries have been contacted by SWAP’ra to advise them of the possible upcoming surge in interest in Clarke’s music and will hopefully have scores ready for you. This includes all the UK music conservatoire libraries.
OUP have generously offered us a discount code on all the Rebecca Clarke songs in their catalogue. Using the code AMUEXB20 at check out will give you 20% off.
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New publications
ClarNan Editions have just published five volumes of Clarke’s vocal music—most of it for the first time—comprising the songs that she wrote as an uninstructed amateur, her first experiments as a fledgling professional, (and her fabulous duets,)Pre-order here for U.S. shipping, or here for global shipping.