Welcome to the
Vivien & Peter Beckwith
Young Musicians’ Trust
Objects of the Trust are
Advancing the education of pupils in music in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Italy
The Beckwith Young Musicians’ Trust has strong links to conservatories of music, opera houses and festivals, alongside their respective academies and young artists’ programmes in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland and Italy including Fondazione Mascarade Opera, Florence, Rossini Opera Festival, Pesaro, and CLIP Portofino International Singing Competition, Portofino, Opera Holland Park, London, Royal College of Music, London, British Youth Opera, London, Wexford Opera Festival, Wexford, and Garsington Opera, Garsington.
Aims of the Trust
The Beckwith Young Musicians’ Trust aims to help and foster the talent of young artists through the award of bursaries, scholarships, prizes and grants primarily through the established Opera platforms and to individual students.
The Trust provides support for artists as they progress from studying at a musical academy to performing at major international opera houses.
the Trustees
Peter Beckwith OBE is the founder of the Vivien & Peter Beckwith Trust.
Vivien McLean Beckwith presents regular concerts at her house in Chelsea to raise money for Students and young graduates from the London Conservatories such as The Royal College and Royal Academy of Music. Living between Italy and the UK Peter and Vivien are passionate about supporting future generations of Opera professionals providing cultural connections between Italy, the UK and Ireland.
British-Australian Bass Baritone and lawyer Leslie Macleod-Miller is connected with a range of cultural organisations in the UK, and hosts salons and concerts to support young artists at his Mansion Flat in Westminster. Leslie continues his family’s tradition of celebrating creativity by supporting and following young artists of quality.
Application Process
Each year the Beckwith Young Musicians’ Trust will consider applications from opera houses, festivals, academies and students to support programmes that develop young artists with exceptional potential.
Applications should be made in writing and will be considered by the Trustees on a quarterly basis.
Applications should provide the following information:
- Name and homepage of opera house, festival or academy
- Details of associated Young Artist Programme, the suggested scholarship amount and how the support would be used
- Applications should be limited to no more than 500 words and successful applicants will be contacted. Applications for support of an already established programme that seek to provide ongoing support and legacy to opera houses, festivals and academies are more likely to be considered.
Eligibility
Support is considered for programmes and individuals that develop a career in Opera including opera houses,
festivals, academies, singers, directors, conductors and accompanists.
Supported Recipients
Fondazione Mascarade Opera
Florence
Mascarade Opera Studio aspires to be the leading independent training and performance institution for singers and répétiteurs in the world, its programme becoming the gold standard by which all Young Artists Programmes and Opera Studios will be measured.
Rossini Opera Festival
Pesaro
The Rossini Opera Festival was instituted in 1980 by the town council of Pesaro with the intention of backing up and developing, by means of theatrical performances, the scientific work of the Rossini Foundation: this has given birth to a unique multi-disciplinary workshop of applied musicology, aiming at the revival of all Rossini’s lesser-known works through musicological research, theatrical performance and publication.
CLIP Portofino International Singing Competition
Portofino
CLIP is an international opera singing competition that takes place in Portofino with the aim of discovering and supporting young talents.
Supported Artists
Anna Patalong
Award winning Soprano
Growing up in Britain after her grandparents were liberated at the end of WWII, Anna has garnered critical acclaim across Europe for her “powerful and dark-hued soprano” (Opera Magazine).
Lauren Fagan
Award winning Soprano
Lauren Fagan has developed into one of today’s most accomplished young sopranos and had the honour of representing her native Australia in the 2019 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
“And then as now, people like Peter, Vivien and Leslie who through The Beckwith Trust give young artists the chance to make their dreams come true, need to be recognized for the magnificent work they do. Today as Artistic Director of Wexford Festival Opera, I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for their Passion and support, which gives our young artists the wings to fly.” – Rosetta Cucchi, Artistic Director, Wexford Festival Opera
Scholarship application
Each year the Trust will consider applications for young artists with exceptional potential.