Tom Mole wins Guildhall School’s Music Gold Medal 2021
Guildhall School of Music & Drama is delighted to announce baritone Tom Mole as the winner of this year’s Gold Medal, the School’s most prestigious prize for outstanding musicians.
The prize is awarded to singers and instrumentalists in alternate years, and 2021 was the turn of the singers. The final took place on Thursday 6 May and was broadcast on Guildhall School’s website on Saturday 8 May. It is now available toview for freefor two weeks.
Tom Mole’s winning performance included Rachmaninov’sV molchanyi nochi taynoy (In the silence of the secret night),Wolf’sMörike-Lieder: Abschied (Farewell), Wolf’sSchon streckt’ ich aus im Bett die müden Glieder (I had already stretched out my weary limbs in bed),Finzi’sThe Phantom: Earth and Air and Rainand Moss’The Floral Danceaccompanied by pianist Inês Costa. His programme also featured Stravinsky’sI was never saner... Come, masterfromThe Rake’s Progress, Verdi’sPerfidi! All’anglo contro me v’unite... Pietà, rispetto, amorefromMacbethand Bizet’sVotre toast, je peux vous le rendre (Toreador’s Song)fromCarmen,accompanied by the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Natalia Murray Beale.
The other Gold Medal finalists, tenorThando Mjandana, sopranoLaura Lolita Perešivanaand sopranoOlivia Boenalso performed songs and arias of their choice. Accompanying the singers in the first half of the concert were pianists Josh Ridley and Toby Hession.
Tom Mole says:‘It’s been a privilege and an honour to perform in the Gold Medal final, and to join the list of previous winners; it is something I am going to hold very fond memories of when I look back on my time at Guildhall School. Watching the competition when I first joined the conservatoire as a nervous 18-year-old it never occurred to me that one day I might be able to compete on that stage for the Gold Medal, let alone win; I am absolutely thrilled. I am thankful for the incredible support of everyone around me, not least my teacher John Evans, my parents, my girlfriend Inês Costa who played with me for the piano round, and Guildhall’s Head of Opera Dominic Wheeler who has been so supportive in what has been a tricky year for us all.’
This year’s distinguished panel of judges featured:Professor Jonathan Vaughan, Vice-Principal & Director of Music at Guildhall School;Huw Humphreys, Head of Music at the Barbican;Gweneth Ann Rand, soprano and alumna;Jordan de Souza, conductor; and the evening’s conductorNatalie Murray Beale.
The Gold Medal award was founded and endowed by Sir H. Dixon Kimber in 1915, and has continued annually, uninterrupted even throughout two world wars and the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1950 it has been open to singers and instrumentalists in alternate years. Previous winners include William Primrose (1922), Jacqueline du Pré (1960), Patricia Rozario (1979), Tasmin Little (1986) and Sir Bryn Terfel (1989).
The 2021 Gold Medal is dedicated to the memory of Adrian Thorne, a most highly regarded teacher, colleague and member of Guildhall School’s community for over 50 years.
British baritone Tom Mole currently studies with John Evans on the Opera Course at Guildhall School of Music & Drama where he recently gained BMus in Vocal Studies. Tom’s roles at Guildhall include Gil inIl segreto di Suzanna, Aeneas inDido and Aeneas, Sprecher inDie Zauberflöte, Barone di Trombonok inIl Viaggio a Rheimsand Hotel Manager inPowder Her Face; other roles he studied and performed at Guildhall include SnugA Midsummer Night’s Dream, PlutoOrpheus in the Underworldand he appeared in several chorus ensembles includingCosì fan Tutte.
Tom’s other successes include the roles of Madhouse Innkeeper/Nick Shadow inThe Rake’s Progress, Dr Pangloss inCandideand Alidoro inLa Cenerentola, all with British Youth Opera. He also made his Opera Holland Park debut in the Young Artist’s performance ofUn Ballo in Mascherain the role of Count Horn. Future engagements include his 2021 debut as Kuligin inKát’a Kabanováat Glyndebourne Festival, where he also participates in the company ensemble.
Recent winners of the Gold Medal include baritone Josep-Ramon Olivé (2017) who is due to perform the role of Schaunard in Puccini’sLa Bohèmeat Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona in June 2021; pianist Joon Yoon (2018) who in April 2021 reached the semi-finals of the Concours Musical International de Montréal; soprano Samantha Clarke (2019), who makes her house debut at the Grange Festival as Tytania in Britten’sA Midsummer Night’s Dreamthis summer; and last year’s winner pianist Soohong Park continues to build his career.
The Gold Medal final is part of Guildhall School’s online summer season, all of which is free to view on the School’swebsite.