Trophies

W.H. Anderson Memorial Trophy

Awarded for the most outstanding performance in a competition of vocalists,
16 years of age & under

The family of William Henry Anderson donated the W.H. Anderson Memorial Trophy to the Winnipeg Music Festival in 1955.  This trophy was originally awarded in an annual competition of Boys’ Choirs.  Since 1962, it has been awarded for the most outstanding performance in a competition of vocalists, 16 years of age & under.

William Henry Anderson was born in England in 1882.  As a young man he studied in Italy with Garcia and Battistini, well-known teachers of the day, developing a fine tenor voice.  He was the recipient of two scholarships from the London Guild Hall of Music, later becoming the tenor soloist at St. Stephen’s Walbrooke Church and at the well-known St. Paul’s Cathedral of London.

In 1910 he came to Canada and settled in Winnipeg, where he immediately became part of the musical life of the city as a concert singer, teacher and choral conductor.  Mr. Anderson took a great interest in the Winnipeg Music Festival and was chairman of the vocal and choral music selection committee from the Festival’s inception until he died in 1955.  In addition, he was a charter member of the Men’s Music Club, which eventually became the Winnipeg Music Festival.  Mr. Anderson composed and arranged approximately 300 pieces – both sacred and secular choral anthems, motets, solos and children’s songs – which were published in Canada, England and the United States.  His works have been performed internationally in Europe, Great Britain, Australia, the United States, Korea, Wales and Canada.

He was choral director of the C.B.C. Choristers from 1940 to 1955 and was responsible for compiling a C.B.C. choral library.  He was choir leader and tenor soloist at both Central Congregational Church and at St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church.  He was founder and conductor of the Apollo Male Voice Choir, C.N.R. Mixed Choir and the original group known as the Oriana Singers.  He taught singing for many years and adjudicated at music festivals in both Canada and the U.S.A.  Students, including Gladys Whitehead and Morley Meredith, as well as daughter Evelyne Anderson Lamont, went on to careers as teachers, adjudicators and performers.  He was the father of seven children.

Winners

1955 Winnipeg Boys' Choir
1956 Winnipeg Boys' Choir
1957 no entry
1958 Winnipeg Senior Boys' Choir
1959 Winnipeg Senior Boys' Choir
1960 Winnipeg Senior Boys' Choir
1961 Winnipeg Senior Boys' Choir
1962 Patricia Gail Johnson
1963 Janice Hope Moss
1964 Judy Lander
1965 Heather Pinchin
1966 Margaret Belyea
1967 Olivia Belyea
1968 Michael Crossman
1969 Joy Pontifex
1970 Pam MacDonald
1971 Irene Koenecke
1972 Carol Justice
1973 Irena Welhasch
1974 Margot Sim
1975 Bruce Murray Waldie
1976 Donna Brychka
1977 Andrea Ilchena
1978 Susan Lawton
1979 Gina Marie Hovorka
1980 Allison Ryback
1981 Donna Fletcher
1982 Colleen Morrison
1983 Lisa Guttman
1984 Gina Woolley
1985 Matthew Ball
1986 Melinda Enns
1987 Millie Scarlett
1988 Chantal Kreviazuk
1989 Jaylene R. McBurney
1990 Jeffrey Schellenberg
1991 Lisa Marie Loscerbo
1992 Roselyn Bobiles
1993 Shawna McGill
1994 Amanda Hammond
1995 John Van Benthem
1996 Ben Schnitzer
1997 Gerritt Theule
1998 Alistair Thomson
​1999 Andriana Chuchman

2000 Fraser Thomson
2001 Heather Kozak
2002 Jacqueline Harding
2003 Tiffany Cook
2004 Kathryn Patrick
2005 Alyson Workman
2006 Matthew Fletcher
2007 Jessica Kos-Whicher
2008 Joey Frohlinger
2009 Ariel Boughen
2010 Katherine Mayba
2011 Kady Evanyshyn
2012 Kira Fondse
2013 Christina Thanisch-Smith
2014 Andrew Mayba
2015 Selene Sharpe
2016 Anton Sokalski
2017 Annie Johnston
2018 Stephanie Bell
2019 Dariyan Dubik
2020 Molly Helmer
2021 Sophie Helmer
2022 Chiara Wilson
2023 Sophie Caron
2024 Amalia Hickerson