Funding

The Neil Black Award from The Countess of Munster Musical Trust

Annually awarded to an outstanding woodwind player to support their postgraduate studies and develop their musical career

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What is the Neil Black Award?

Towards the end of his extraordinary playing career as an oboe soloist and member of various orchestras, Neil Black OBE was able to devote more and more time to helping and supporting young musicians at the start of their careers.  To this end, he became Artistic Director of the Kirckman Concert Society and advisor to the Tunnell Trust. Drawing on his wealth of experience, Neil encouraged and inspired young players with his own inimitable brand of humour.  An annual award in his name seems an appropriate way to provide a legacy for future generations of woodwind players, and it will do much to keep alive memories of a great musician and a wonderful man.

Money donated to the Countess of Munster Musical Trust in Neil’s memory has been used to establish the Neil Black Award, which is presented to an outstanding woodwind player annually, to support their studies at postgraduate level and to help them as they move towards a musical career.  The award-winner is selected by the Trustees in the course of the study award auditions each spring. Previous recipients of the Neil Black Award are three oboists, Manou Rolland in 2018, Hannah Condliffe in 2019 and Polly Bartlett in 2021, the bassoonist Olivia Palmer-Baker in 2020 and the clarinettist Isaac Prince in 2022. The most recent recipient of the Neil Black Award is bassoonist Siping Guo in 2023.

See below for ways to donate to help support the continuation of the Neil Black Award.

Neil Black

Supporting the Neil Black Award

The recipient of the Neil Black Award 2023 is the bassoonist Siping Guo, pictured here performing. Siping will begin his postgraduate studies this autumn at the Royal College of Music in London, having completed his undergraduate degree at the Royal College of Music.

To ensure the continuation of the Neil Black Award, please consider making a donation:

  • by bank transfer to Account Name: The Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Sort Code: 40 52 40, Account No: 00006259 and use “Neil Black Award” as the payment reference, with an email to hannah@munstertrust.org.uk providing details of the payment;
  • by cheque made payable to The Countess of Munster Musical Trust (please mark the back of your cheque “Neil Black Award” and add details of your postal or email address) and send it to The Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Care of YCAT, Somerset House, West Wing, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
  • by using the online “Donate” button below (bank fees apply).

If you are a UK taxpayer and would like to Gift Aid your donation, please use the Gift Aid form below and send it to The Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Care of YCAT, Somerset House, West Wing, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA.

The Countess of Munster Musical Trust will use your personal details to acknowledge receipt of your donation, and you will be given an opportunity to opt in to receive more information about the Neil Black Award and the work of the Trust.

The Neil Black Award from The Countess of Munster Musical Trust

Other funding available from the Trust

Study Grants

Open to undergraduate Jazz musicians and postgraduate classical and jazz singers, instrumentalists and composers.

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Instrument Purchase Loans

Each year the Trust is able to offer a small number of interest-free loans to former beneficiaries to help with the purchase of musical instruments

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Stephen Oliver Award

Awarded biennially to a young composer who has written a work for music theatre to assist with bringing that work to performance

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