Major new funding for singers during our centenary year

(A picture of Richard Lewis outside the Royal Academy of Music's theatre)

At a packed event hosted by the Royal Academy of Music to celebrate the centenary of the Richard Lewis/Jean Shanks Trust, the charity's founder Elizabeth Muir Lewis revealed a host of new initiatives in partnership with the academy.

Following speeches by its Principal Jonathan Freeman-Attwood and Head of Vocal Studies Mark Wildman, Elizabeth then announced (pictured, below) that the annual Richard Lewis Award singing competition prize is to increase to £15,000 in 2016, the launch of a £6,000 annual bursary for young tenors studying at the academy and sponsorship of a visiting tenor - who will give vocal master classes in Richard's name.

Also, The Richard Lewis/Jean Shanks Trust is also to sponsor the regular Song Circle events organised by the academy at the Wigmore Hall in London.

For information on the Song Circle events, visit the Royal Acadmy of Music website.