Sophie scoops top music award

Salisbury musician, Sophie Madden, has won this year’s prestigious Liz Lawrence Award, which recognises the best young musical talent in Wiltshire.

Sophie, 18, impressed the panel at music charity Wiltshire Rural Music with her wonderful performance, both as a singer and a trumpet player, and took the title as well as the £1000 cheque: “I couldn't be more grateful to be this year's winner of the Liz Lawrence Award. The whole process has been a privilege and an invaluable confidence boost.”

The Mayor of Salisbury, Councillor John Walsh, was delighted to be invited to present the winning cheque, provided by Wiltshire Rural Music, to Sophie Madden: “It is very reassuring to know that Salisbury has such talent in our community. All praise to Sophie’s parents who gave her every encouragement and the South Wilts Grammar School who nurtured her talent.”

Trowbridge based music charity, Wiltshire Rural Music, supports young people with bursary’s to help them afford music lessons and professional instrument hire. For over 15 years they have been awarding the best young musician in Wiltshire with the top prize, the Liz Lawrence Award. The £1000 cheque will help Sophie on her musical journey as she heads to Cambridge University to continue her music education.

Excited to curate her own concert with the charity, Sophie stated: “I can't wait to begin my studies at Cambridge, but I'm also really looking forward to returning home to Salisbury next year for a concert to celebrate the award.”

The concert will take place next Summer, with Sophie sharing centre stage with last year’s winner, clarinettist Grace White, whose performance was postponed this year due to indoor concert covid restrictions.

Previous winners have gone on to musical careers taking them to perform around the world, as well as inspiring the next generation of musicians across Wiltshire and bringing joy into the lives of isolated communities, with projects like “Keep Music in Mind”, which Wiltshire Rural Music currently takes into Wiltshire care homes.

Listen to Sophie talking about winning the award on BBC Wiltshire, online and on the BBC Sounds app. (Just scroll forward to 1 hour 38 minutes)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08s5wzy

You can watch clips from Sophie’s audition exclusively here: