The first Birmingham Festival Choral Society Oratorio Competition, in association with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, was held on Monday 24th October. The audience was treated to a very high standard of singing from the shortlisted finalists: Ellen Smith, Matilda Wale, Noémie Johns, Julia Morgan, Abigail Baylis, Polly Clarke and Jia Huang.

Judges David Wynne (Music Director of BFCS) and Kevin Gill (BFCS accompanist) awarded the trophy to baritone Jia Huang, after his impressive performance of two Handel works: Revenge, Timotheus cries and Honour and arms.

Jia Huang was presented with the Birmingham Festival Choral Society Oratorio Trophy by David Fletcher, Chair of BFCS. As well as the trophy, Jia has won a financial prize and a future engagement singing with Birmingham Festival Choral Society.

Jia is pictured here with his accompanist, Guang Feng, and Paul Wingfield, the Head of the Vocal Department at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Runners up in the competition were Julia Morgan (2nd place) and Ellen Smith (3rd place), pictured here with the judges:

The judges with Julia Morgan 2nd place.

The judges with Ellen Smith, 3rd place.

Birmingham Festival Choral Society is proud to support young talent, and we wish great success to all the finalists in their future careers.