Originally known as the W T Best Scholarship, the Award for Organists was established in 1956 and endowed by John Mewburn Levien (Court Member 1933-1934) in memory of W T Best (1825-1897), a renowned organist of his day, to provide financial assistance to a young organist showing "exceptional promise as executant, composer, transcriber or writer" for a maximum of three years. The Runner-Up is awarded the F.E.Smith prize (Click Here).

 

Past Recipients:

 

1957-59 Christine Waple

1960-62 Susan Landale

1963-64 Stuart Bedford

1965-67 Timothy Robert Warwick Farrell

1968-70 David Bruce-Payne

1971-73 Stephen John Cleobury

1974-76 Carys Mon Hughes

1977-79 Jonathan Stephen Holmes

1980      John Scott

1981-82 Jane Watts

1983-85 Andrew Lucas

1986-88 David Liddle

1989      No award made

1990-92 Stephen Farr

1993-95 David Goode

1996      Mathew Owens

1996-97 Neil Cockburn

1999-01 Simon Bell

2002      Clive Driskill-Smith

2002-3  Jonathan Scott

2005-06 Francesca Massey

2005      Ashley Grote

2008-11 David Newsholme

2012-13 No award made

2014-16 Freddie James - click here for more information

2017-19 Alexander Pott - click here for more information

2023      Charles Maxtone-Smith