Dorothy Parkinson Memorial Award | Harrogate International Festivals

A prestigious award for the brightest young talents

The Dorothy Parkinson Memorial Award, set up in 1982, provides a platform to some of the country’s best up-and-coming classical musicians and the chance to perform in the HACS Harrogate Music Festival.

Inspired by the extraordinary life of Dorothy Parkinson, who had close ties with the Harrogate International Festival, the Award has recognised some of the world’s best young musicians for more than 40 years.

Previous winners of the award include Evelyn Glennie, Ben Tarlton, Finzi Trio, Julian Bliss, Jamie Walton, Lucy Parham and Benjamin Grosvenor. In 2024, pianist Amiri Harewood was presented with the prestigious award after a dazzling performance at St Wilfrid’s Church as part of the HACS Harrogate Music Festival.

Honouring Dorothy Parkinson

Born in 1909, Dorothy was the third daughter of Lord and Lady Bingley and was brought up with her three sisters at Bramham Park near Wetherby. She went on to study music, which took her to Vienna where she studied with Arnold Rosé, the leader of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

After returning to North Yorkshire she became great friends with Dame Fanny Waterman, founder of the Leeds International Piano Competition, and the pair frequently performed recitals together. The Harrogate International Festival played a big part in Dorothy’s life – she was on its first board of governors following its inception in 1966 and was twice its president, in 1968 and 1978.

In 1981, the year after Dororthy’s death, her friend – the legendary mezzo-soprano Janet Baker – sang at Leeds Civic Hall in her memory, and the following year the Dorothy Parkinson Memorial Award became an integral part of the festival programme.

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