This afternoon (19 January 2026) SWAP’ra’s wonderfully enterprising Rebecca Clarke Song Competition reaches its semi-final rounds as 17 duos compete for a place in the final, which takes place at the Royal Overseas League on Saturday 24 January 2026.
The competition, celebrating 150 years of British women composers in song, is open to professional singer and pianist duos who are based full-time in the UK or the Republic of Ireland with no age-limit. Regarding the lack of age limit, SWAP’ra has pointed out that ‘50% of our applicants are over 30—and so are two-thirds of our semi-finalists. Most competitions set an age limit of 30, just as singers hit their artistic stride. We wanted to do something different: shine a light on the composers, not limit the artists who can champion their work.’
For the semi-finals, competitors will perform at least two songs by Rebecca Clarke and at least one song by a living British female composer. For the finale, they will perform three songs by Clarke alongside one by a living British female composer.
There are prizes for singers and for pianists, along with a prize for the performance of a song by living composer.
And if you think Clarke did not write enough songs to warrant a competition then think again. Kitty Whately, Nicholas Phan and Anna Tilbrook’s terrific The Complete Songs of Rebecca Clarke on Signum Classics includes nearly 60 songs from her first completed song in 1903 to her 1976-1977 revisions to an earlier song. Do explore.
Full details from the SWAP’ra website.
