Prizes – What are we looking for?

The programme

We are looking for a themed programme of words and music in the English language. It is quite easy to stay in the “Golden Age” of English song and make it seem that English song begins with Elgar and ends with Finzi. There is a great deal of wonderful music here, of course, but do dare to think more widely. [Rewrite to apply also to the Actors & Speech?]
There’s nothing to stop you performing an unaccompanied song (in all competitions, including the Actors’/Speakers’ Prize).
You might look beyond England to the whole of the British Isles, and to other countries such as America, Australia, South Africa and beyond, too.
There is so much music written in the later 20th Century and in the 21st that needs to be better known.
The Theme should be pervasive. Many songs are broadly on the theme of Love, but it is more effective to have an unusual and more specific focus.
Consider contrasts. A programme that is all slow or all fast or all humorous is in danger of being monochrome.

Questions to consider:
- Should you offer an introduction?
- Should you introduce yourself and the pianist?
- Do you prefer to go straight in and let the programme speak for itself?
- These are your choices, so think through the implications of them for your audience when you are planning.
Plan how you’re intending to portray the texts. Do you want to move? Do you think gesture is valuable and aids your communication?
A common fault is to perform the spoken parts too quietly and too low in the voice.
Consider what you might wear: how you present yourself is part of the audience’s experience of your programme. Remember that your performance begins as you walk on stage, and ends only when you are off stage.
Make sure you time your programme, with introductions and spoken parts. You will be penalised if it’s longer than the time specified.

▶︎ The 'Themed' Recital – Useful for all competitions requiring a recital programme