Held biennially in the Land of Song, in partnership with the Royal Welsh College, the Sir Bryn Terfel Song Prize champions talented new voices, and showcases powerful expression through different languages, including Caneuon Cymraeg, or Welsh Song.
The final of the Prize was preceded by a three-day residency at the College, including masterclasses, expert mentoring and language training.
Celebrating the diverse world of storytelling through song, the finalists, undergraduates from all of the UK’s nine major music schools, each performed a programme of three pieces. These included a song celebrating their own language and culture, and a set Welsh song, ‘Pan ddaw'r nos’ by Meirion Williams.
Head Judge Sir Bryn Terfel said: 'Our finalists worked so diligently on their chosen repertoire and prepared my chosen song ‘Pan ddaw’r nos’ to such a high standard. I also have to add that the students have been a credit to their conservatoires. My heartfelt congratulations and chapeau to our talented winner, David Karapetian.’
Sir Bryn was joined by a prestigious international panel of singing and opera specialists: German classical music producer Ute Fesquet, formerly at Deutsche Grammophon. John Fisher, former Director of Music Administration at the Metropolitan Opera and former Artistic Director of WNO. Austrian mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschlager, and international operatic conductor and Conductor Laureate of Welsh National Opera, Carlo Rizzi.
Tenor David Karapetian chose to sing the Armenian song, Կռունկ, (The Crane) by Komitas. He commented: ‘Being part of the residency and competition truly made me feel like a real singer and performer. It opened my eyes to what it will take to move further in my career, from the incredible time spent working with the collaborative pianists to the inspiring masterclasses.
'Winning the first Sir Bryn Terfel Song Prize makes me incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share my passion for singing. Working with Sir Bryn was a dream come true; experiencing his wisdom and generosity as a performer was truly surreal, and I’m just so happy to have been part of something so special. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Sir Bryn and everyone involved in creating this prize and making it possible.
'It was also incredibly special to sing in my own language. Armenian song is a part of my culture that isn’t often heard in the wider performance world, so having the chance to share it with new audiences was deeply meaningful. I felt truly proud to represent a part of my heritage through music and knowing that people connected with the words and melodies passed down through generations made the experience even more rewarding. Coming from a small country with such a rich history, it means a lot to help keep our culture and language alive through song.’