I was thrilled this week to be asked to help launch the search for this year’s Pendine International Voice of the Future at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. Ceidiog Hughes contacted me on behalf of Llangollen International Eisteddfod to find out how winning the prize had helped me.
Below is a copy of the press release which I wanted to share with you and I would encourage any young singers out there to put in an entry, it is an amazing competition and one that I have been honoured to be associated with since 2014.
As part of this year’s Eisteddfod, I have been invited to sing two ten minute performances as a guest of Rolando Villazón in a Classical Gala on the 2nd July 2019 which I am very excited about as it will be great to catch up with everyone involved with the festival. If you have ever wanted to visit North Wales this a lovely time of year with so much to do at this festival.
New search launched for singing stars of future
Ceidiog Hughes
A “supremely talented soprano” has launched a search to find the world’s most talented young singers.
According to Charlotte Hoather, 24, winning the prestigious Pendine International Voice of the Future competition at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod last year catapulted her career to a new level on the global stage.
Organisers say entries are already flooding in for the prestigious competition this year which has a first prize of £5,000, along with a £2,000 cheque for the runner up.
Every year the picturesque town of Llangollen in the Dee Valley welcomes around 4,000 international performers and around 50,000 visitors to the week-long festival of music and dance.
Among the highlights of the week is the prestigious Pendine International Voice of the Future competition, which showcases young talent alongside other gifted global performers.
Once again this year the arts-loving care organisation, Pendine Park, is contributing £5,000 to the prize fund and a beautiful silver salver via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust, with the balance coming from Sir Bryn’s Terfel’s foundation and Llangollen Eisteddfod.
Following her “life-changing” experience last year, Charlotte, from Winsford, in Cheshire, is urging other young soloists not to miss the deadline for entries on March 1st.
The format will be slightly different this year, with the preliminary rounds being held at Llangollen Town Hall on Tuesday, July 2nd. The semi-final will then be held on the pavilion stage the following day with two finalists going head to head during the live televised concert in the evening.
Charlotte, who trained at the Royal College of Music, said: “The competition gave me a massive boost. It’s been huge for my confidence and helped me push the boundaries of where I could go and what I can do. And the prize money gave me such a massive opportunity to further my career.
“Having the money available meant I could fly to New York to audition for Pittsburgh Opera and attend an event at the Metropolitan Opera House and I’m also jetting off to Seoul, South Korea at the end of March for another competition which is very exciting.”
Charlotte, who previously gained a First Class Honours Degree in Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, added: “I’d encourage any young singer to give it a go.
“Winning the competition is life-changing. It’s helped me to take more risks and travel internationally for opportunities as a professional singer.”
“The year has been amazing. I toured the role of Uccelina in Paris organised by the Théâtre du Châtelet and appeared at the Metropolitan Opera House in the same role later touring the Scottish Highlands performing in Bambino for Scottish Opera.”
“I also performed at the inaugural Waterperry Opera Festival whose Patron is Jonathan Dove, the composer of Mansfield Park and I will reprising the role again this coming July.”
“I was also a guest soloist at Tideswell Remembrance concert and sang in the Rachmaninov recital at Pushkin House in Bloomsbury, London. More recently I reached the quarterfinals of an International Singing competition in Dublin, It was certainly a busy year!”
Charlotte’s success was music to the years of Pendine Park proprietors Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill.
Mr. Kreft said: “This is the third year of the Pendine International Voice of the Future competition and the standard just seems to go up and up. Last year’s winner, Charlotte Hoather, was exceptional and a very deserving winner.”
“She is a supremely talented soprano and the competition has helped unlock the door to a hugely bright future.”
“Our aim in supporting the competition in conjunction with the Sir Bryn Terfel Foundation is to provide a springboard for brilliant young singers from around the world to achieve their dreams of establishing a career on the global stage.”
“Sir Bryn is living proof that supreme talent can take you a long way and we are delighted to doing our bit to help gifted young singers attain new heights.”
“The competition chimes perfectly with our ethos at Pendine Park because the arts in general and music, in particular, provide the golden thread running through everything we do to enrich the lives of our residents and staff alike.”
The festival’s musical director, Edward-Rhys Harry, said: “We are so grateful to Pendine Arts and Community Trust for their continued support for this truly international competition.”
“I know how much the competition has accelerated the career of Charlotte Hoather, last year’s winner and how she used her prize money to help further her career.”
“It’s a massive opportunity to perform before a big live audience and live on TV. My advice is very simple, if you are a young singer aged between 19 and 28 and think you may be good enough, then go for it.”
“Approach the competition with courage and conviction and even if you don’t make the final it will still be an invaluable lesson and a wonderful experience.”
“This major competition is something that we need to nurture and thanks to the support of Pendine Arts and Community Trust young artists are getting an opportunity to further their careers.”
“It’s certainly a competition I’m really looking forward to and it promises to be one of the major highlights of this year’s International Music Eisteddfod. And another new aspect of the competition is that the winner will be offered additional performances at other venues. The competition really is going on to another level.”
To find out more about the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod and for competition details please visit here:
You are a major talent, a modest person, an attractive young lady, and someone who, at the age of only 24, is already paying back to those of talent. One of these days, and before very long, I will be hearing someone mention your name and be able to say, ‘oh yes, Charlotte, we’re friends.’
You know what Martin I’m very grateful you’re my friend. When I’m feeling like I’m stuck in the mud or feeling a bit insecure I can bank on you to lift me up and make me feel strong.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Awesome ! Congratulations my friend. Enjoy yourself 🙂 👏 <3
Thank you, my awesome friend Ralph, we’ll both look forward to summer together.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Not only Congratulations here, Charlotte, because I know how hard you’ve worked for it, but for making so many friends along your journey. That is a great indication of your character – you don’t just have an amazing talent, you’ve had a wonderful upbringing and you’ve maintained a personality that everyone wishes to be around and work with.
But – you need to explain one thing to me – when in heck did you get to be 24?!!! You were just a child when I first came here!! 🙂
Thank you, GP, for your kind words and encouragement as always. I’ve just turned 25 yikes – like you say where is the time disappearing to. I just want to brighten my friend’s day, some people think that’s a bit childish but I don’t care.
Best wishes
Charlotte
If that’s childish – stay a child forever!!
You are an amazing talent Charlotte. keep up the great work. All my best, Darlene
Thank you Darlene I appreciate our friendship.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Dear Charlotte,
What a blessing for you to mentor all the young singers, and I hope with your prize money you can tour the Houston Opera. May the Lord bless you richly my Beloved.
The prize money is thinning out quickly Rev.Tim but I’d love to visit the opera house in Houston. I would only be able to do half of what I applied for this past six months without winning that prize and some competitions you can’t enter unless you’re nominated, what I love about the Llangollen Eisteddfod is it is truly open to everyone equally.
Best wishes
Charlotte
So proud of you Charlotte, you are a star! Well done. 😘
You’re an amazing friend Gill, always there with your confident support for my hopes and dreams.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Super star, congratulations Charlotte. Awesome.
Life has no limits, except ones we make ourselves Mr Mustang, that’s what Dad always tell me. I’ll remind him of that saying when I’m out of prize money hehe 😊.
Best wishes
Charlotte
The excitement is simply jumping out of this post. Wow!
I cannot believe I’m going to meet Rolando Villazon (I hope I actually get to speak with him), he is more than a fabulous singer, he writes novels, works as a broadcaster, presents a program that showcases young musicians and he was a judge and mentor on a tv program I loved called Popstar to Operastar. Exciting!!!
Best wishes
Charlotte
Very cool – a “rising vocal star” is not a bad thing to be called, nor is “supremely talented soprano”, and being held up as an example for other talented people to follow… Also cool that they invited you to sing at the festival beyond just using you as a positive example. Congratulations 🙂
It was very supportive of the sponsors and made me happy. ‘Believe you can and you’re half way there. Believe you can’t and you’ll never make it! ‘Was on a poster I read recently. I’m very excited to be part of the festival, I’m working on a couple of new arias that I’m hoping that I will think are good enough to use in the program.
Best wishes
Charlotte
That is wonderful! Congratulations!
Thank you, it’s nice once-in-a-while to get one achievement in lots of stumbles. I’m not afraid of trying and trying again though. Hopefully I’m still falling in the right direction hehe.
Best wishes
Charlotte
A great attitude!
How wonderful of you to mentor other young singers. It certainly will be exciting for them to have this chance to shine. God bless you for giving so much back. You had a fabulous year filled with marvelous experiences.😘🤗
The thing I love about this Llangollen competition Janice is that there is truly equality of entry opportunity, you don’t have to be put forward by a teacher or the conservatoire. You enter yourself and are measured as you. I learnt so much from the experience in 2014 when I first entered on my Dad’s recommendation because he went to the festival every year with school as a child. It has allowed me to spend the prize money investing in my singing lessons, applying for auditions and more competitions in a hope to be seen by more people and the cost of travelling.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Great, congratulations Charlotte, very proud of you and being friends with you. It will be necessary to discuss it again after the month of April, but I would very much like to make a series of photo and video of You. If you agree of course. Best thoughts, friendships.
That sounds like an interesting project. I’d love to visit the South of France but I’m busy from May to the end of September. I’d like to send you some new French songs I’m working on for your feedback on pronunciation if you have time.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
I’m on the meditteranean coast, I come back home wednesday, of Course you can send your work and i will give you my feedback.
I would like to say you, easer than dropbox, wetransfer – free – 2 Go by transfer – you just have to put an e-mail adress and it’s ok,
Wonderful. Big congrats. Has been such a joy to be on your journey 🙂 You are a natural mentor.
One of the reasons I started blogging was to inform and share my training journey with other singers, and people with a mild to no interest in classical music. There is so much hidden and at times it seems impossible to do things, you can be told to lower your expectations, but you know what it wouldn’t be so rewarding if it was easy.
Best wishes
Charlotte
That has always come across from the many years I’ve been following you.
When I see something like this, it gives me goosebumps to think that “Hey, I know Charlotte”! I’m sure your family is very proud of you, as well they should be 🙂
How lovely Cheryl, my parents are coming to visit me this weekend I’m very excited. I keep venturing into new areas all the time so you never know when we may actually get an opportunity to meet. I’ve met several blog friends unexpectedly.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I no longer travel long distances, but who knows, perhaps you will perform in Minneapolis/St. Paul some day. They have beautiful theaters 🙂
It will be wonderful for you to inspire the next winner. You’ve done well. Keep going, Charlotte.
I’d love the next winner to be someone who only heard of the competition through the press releases wouldn’t that be brilliant. I fall into auditions and competitions in the same way often just by chance, serendipity whatever.
Best wishes
Charlotte
What a amazing year you have had Charlotte..
You put your everything into all that you do, Congratulations..
good luck with everything that is coming along this year. Cannot. Wait for the next instalment .xx
Lots coming up keep your fingers crossed for me. I like competitions because they’re completely out of my comfort zone but sometimes like today I think why oh why did I put that new difficult aria in it hehe.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Wishing you much success.
Thank you very much Jovina.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Charlotte, I am so excited for your success and for your understanding that success means you have an amazing opportunity to inspire someone else’s.
Have a wonderful year! Treasure every day.
Hi Sheila, thank you for your lovely message, I treasure your company on this crazy journey 😊.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Congratulations, Charlotte. Lovely to hear of your continuing success.
Thank you, I’m hoping to be able to reward my teachers, coaches and all my friends here and on social media without whose support I wouldn’t be here, I’d have had to stop after my undergrad.
All my best wishes
Charlotte 💕
I’m so very pleased for you, Charlotte. I can see you going far. Well done!!
Another compliment to your abilities!
Hmmm. I’m not young, and I can’t sing. Think I should enter anyway? 🙂
Thank you 😁 and nope, ‘singers’ have to be 19 to 28 on the last day of the competition. The prize is intended to advance the career of a young soloist. Believe me we need all the help we can find.
There are also categories for choirs, the open folk solo is for singers of all ages. The Voice of Musical Theatre is for 19 to 28 year olds too and comes with an opportunity to sing in Australia!
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Well, I’m under 82, and I know the words to ‘Waltzing Matilda’!
Have fun in Seoul, Charlotte! You really are going places!
Best regards,
Cate
Thanks Cate, I was reading about Seoul on Bespoke Travellers blog and my blog friend Violet went to Seoul I never dreamed I’d be able to go there. I’m very excited for the adventure.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Congratulations Charlotte, you are an inspiration to us all. Your blog is great. Glad to have found you.
Thank you I’ve just popped in to your blog before I leave for a lesson and it’s full of great blog articles I’ll be back to check them out.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
We read this with a very special interest – Edwin’s mother’s family all came from Winsford. He has no relatives left now (on either side), but Winsford is a very important place for him still!
I loved to read this, Winsford is still one of the few remaining affordable places to live in Cheshire. They are building so many new houses there now, fields I used to play in are big housing estates but it still has a countryside feel to it. I love visiting home although I do like all the activities and conveniences of living in big Cities.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
You are an incredibly talented young lady who is exceptional in all that you do. By giving back to others you enable other young singers an opportunity to excel and jump start their careers. This is an exciting time for young singers. I have shared this post and hope that singers will step forward. Congratulations for being chosen to lead the way for other talented youth. Hugs xx
YAY!!!! You must be thrilled going to Soeul! I wish you are the winner! Nonetheless, I believe you will eek the best out of it! OMG! You go!
What an honour to be the spokesperson for this years competition for “Voice of the Future”! You are amazing, and very inspiring!
Best, Resa ❦