Gabriel Longbotham, 2022 Liz Lawrence Award winner

Cheque presentation with the Peter Corbett, Mayor of Devizes and Alan MacRae from WRM.

We are thrilled to announce that the 2022 winner of our Liz Lawrence Award is Devizes based 18 year old Gabriel Longbotham.

Gabriel auditioned back in April and impressed the judges with his talent on piano. Gabriel is now at Royal Northern College of Music studying Popular Music to harness his songwriting skills across both piano and guitar, as well as all aspects of the music industry including production and promotion. Attending St Augustine’s College in Trowbridge, Gabriel started his relationship with music in a more formal setting learning the organ and accompanying the school choir, in which he was also an active participant. He also took part in the Devizes Eisteddfod throughout his school years winning many different piano categories, as well as succeeding in rounds of the Young Musician of Wiltshire competition in 2018. But now he’s looking forward to focussing on performance, composing and production during his studies in Manchester, as well as curating his own winner’s concert back in Devizes of course!

Gabriel said “I was thrilled when I found out I’d won, it’s nice to get that validation for all the hours I’ve put in.” He will be planning his winner’s concert for July 2023 where we’re told he’ll perform his own compositions and classics across both piano and guitar, as well as voice.

Applications for 2023 are now open and information can be found on our ‘Bursaries’ page.