L-R: Judge Sir Thomas Allen, General Director of Opera North Laura Canning, winners Jia Ning Ng (piano) and Rachel Munro (soprano) with judge Dame Jane Glover, and fellow judges, the Northern Alborough Festival director Robert Ogden and festival chair, Andrew Lawson-Tancred.Now in its third year, the nationwide search spanning concert halls and conservatoires has become a beacon for emerging talent, with a total £7,000 prize fund.
The semi-finals, which took place on 15 June at the Northern Aldborough Festival, saw eight vocalists whittled down to four shortlisted sopranos, accompanied by their pianists.
Nikki Martin accompanied by Esther Ersfeld, Caroline Taylor accompanied by Sebastian Issler, Rachel Munro with Jia Ning Ng, and Eiry Price with Iwan Owen on piano, went head-to-head for the £5k top prize.
Rachel and Jia Ning receive the top prize of £5,000 and a paid recital at next year’s Northern Aldborough Festival alongside recitals, also paid through a donation from the Yorkshire Music Future Fund, at Leeds Lieder and Harrogate International Festivals.
An exciting new duo, Scottish soprano Rachel and Singaporean pianist Jia Ning met during their time at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and bonded over a shared love of telling important stories through music.
They became an official performing pair in 2024 and have since been entering major UK vocal competitions, as well as collaborating within the RCS.
Rachel Munro is an award-winning Soprano from Scotland, currently studying with Wilma MacDougall. She recently graduated from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and holds a degree in Mathematics from the University of St Andrews. Rachel’s MMus studies were supported by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, The Robertson Trust, and The Scottish International Education Trust.
Jia Ning Ng is a concert pianist and collaborative pianist currently based in Glasgow, where she works as Staff Accompanist at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In 2024, she was endorsed by Arts Council England under the Global Talent visa, recognising her as an exceptional artist in her field.
Robert Ogden, director of Northern Aldborough Festival, had a career as an operatic countertenor and also sits on the judging panel. Robert said: “Rachel and Jia Ning made a wonderful partnership. Even though she was one of the youngest entrants, Rachel already displays remarkable vocal maturity and quality and is a composed performer. She found wonderful support in Jia Ning’s musical playing.”
The competition has fast made a name in classical music thanks to the acclaimed judges it attracts. Previous judges have included Sir John Tomlinson CBE, Dame Felicity Lott, and the principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner OBE.
2025’s judging panel featured arguably England’s most famous living operatic baritone, Sir Thomas Allen, the pioneering female conductor Dame Jane Glover, and pianist Sholto Kynoch.
The competition is open to UK classical vocalists aged 18 to 32.
Alongside The Seastock Trust first prize of £5,000, a second prize of £1,500 sponsored by The Yorkshire Music Fund went to soprano Nikki Martin and pianist Esther Ersfeld.
The Armitage Prize of £500, chosen by the audience went to soprano Caroline Taylor and pianist Sebastian Issler.
The New Voices Competition was launched in 2023 by Northern Aldborough Festival in response to the funding cuts the classical music sector faced, to provide a platform for emerging talent.
The inaugural winner of the New Voices Competition was the mezzo-soprano Lea Shaw, who was consequently picked as a BBC Music Magazine ‘Rising Star’ and this year secured professional management with one of the UK’s leading agencies.
Robert said: “This year was the Competition’s biggest year. The calibre of young singers is truly exceptional. In today’s landscape of music and arts funding cuts, we see the competition as a valuable platform to support young classical singers to launch their careers, as well as to get in front of some of the industry’s leading and influential figures. It’s also a unique and unmissable chance for audiences to witness major musical stars on their ascent.”
The Northern Aldborough Festival continues until June 21, with headline acts including Dame Sarah Connolly with Dame Imogen Cooper, The Vespers (Rachmaninov) performed by Armonico Consort, headline speaker Matthew Parris, and its last night outdoor concert in the grounds of Aldborough Manor.