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 to view for free for two weeks.
Tom Mole’s winning performance included Rachmaninov’s V molchanyi nochi taynoy (In the silence of the secret night), Wolf’s Mörike-Lieder: Abschied (Farewell), Wolf’s Schon streckt’ ich aus im Bett die müden Glieder (I had already stretched out my weary limbs in bed), Finzi’s The Phantom: Earth and Air and Rain and Moss’ The Floral Dance accompanied by pianist Inês Costa. His programme also featured Stravinsky’s I was never saner... Come, master from The Rake’s Progress, Verdi’s Perfidi! All’anglo contro me v’unite... Pietà, rispetto, amore from Macbeth and Bizet’s Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre (Toreador’s Song) from Carmen, accompanied by the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Natalia Murray Beale.
The other Gold Medal finalists, tenor Thando Mjandana, soprano Laura Lolita Perešivana and soprano Olivia Boen also 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 conductor Natalie 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 in Il segreto di Suzanna, Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas, Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte, Barone di Trombonok in Il Viaggio a Rheims and Hotel Manager in Powder Her Face; other roles he studied and performed at Guildhall include Snug A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pluto Orpheus in the Underworld and he appeared in several chorus ensembles including Così fan Tutte.
Tom’s other successes include the roles of Madhouse Innkeeper/Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress, Dr Pangloss in Candide and Alidoro in La Cenerentola, all with British Youth Opera. He also made his Opera Holland Park debut in the Young Artist’s performance of Un Ballo in Maschera in the role of Count Horn. Future engagements include his 2021 debut as Kuligin in Kát’a Kabanová at 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’s La Bohème at 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’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream this summer; and last year’s winner pianist Soohong Park continues to build his career.
