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Peter Hulsen Orchestral Song Award

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Are you a graduate singer seeking the opportunity to perform with an orchestra? Sinfonia Smith Square is now accepting applications for the prestigious Peter Hulsen Orchestral Song Award.

Established in 2008, the Peter Hulsen Orchestral Song Award is a biennial competition for outstanding young singers embarking on the profession. It offers emerging artists a much-valued opportunity to explore the treasures of the orchestral songbook and perform with Sinfonia Smith Square. Previous winners have gone on to perform title roles with leading opera companies, including English National Opera, Bavarian State Opera, and the Royal Opera House.

The Award is adjudicated by Sinfonia Smith Square Founder Director, Simon Over, alongside distinguished specialists who in previous years have included Sir Thomas Allen, Sally Matthews, Della Jones, Andrew Staples, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Susan Gritton, and Paul Nilon. The 2026 panel will be announced shortly.

Find out more on the application process

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply for the Peter Hulsen Orchestral Song Award?

Singers who have completed a postgraduate course at a British music college in the last ten years may apply.

Additionally, the Heads of Vocal Studies at nine UK conservatoires – Birmingham Conservatoire, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Royal Northern College of Music, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Trinity Laban and the Wales International Academy of Voice – are invited by Sinfonia Smith Square to nominate one outstanding postgraduate student each. If you are nominated in this way, please nonetheless complete the application form to ensure we get all the details we need from you. Please note, it is not otherwise possible to apply as a student, but do consider applying in a future year when you have completed your studies.

What is the prize?

Who are the previous winners?

What is the application process?

What is the deadline for applications?

Why was the award established?

The award is named after the late Peter Hulsen, a remarkable music lover and longstanding friend and supporter of Sinfonia Smith Square. A native of Breslau, Peter came to England as a boy on one of the last Kindertransport trains out of Germany. In the face of such stark origins in life, he found great consolation in classical music and its enduring spirit manifest in outstanding young artists who may champion it for decades to come. In his lifetime, it was his wish to establish an award offering young voices the opportunity to perform with orchestra, and it has been Sinfonia Smith Square’s honour to make this happen every alternate year.

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