Scholarship winners announced for Mansfield's Music and Drama Festival

Pictured from left to right Imogen Clemmow (17) junior vocal, Lydia Messam (18) senior vocal, newly elected Mayor of Mansfield, Andy Abrahams, Jonathon Clarke (19) piano, Paul Bacon Festival Chairman.

The festival, which started in 1923, attracts more than 700 entries from the Mansfield area for four days of drama and the three days of music, concluding with the celebration Festival Concert on Sunday, May 12.

As part of the annual celebration, three John Ogdon Scholarships were awarded to those deemed the best performers, in junior vocal, senior vocal and piano.

The winners were Imogen Clemmow, 17, for junior vocal; Lydia Messam, 18, for senior vocal, and Jonathon Clarke,19, for piano.

Presentations of trophies and bursaries were made by Mansfield's new mayor Andy Abrahams and Denise Starkey, president of Mansfield Rotary Club.

Mr Abrahams said: "The annual Mansfield Music and Drama Festival concert at Mansfield Palace Theatre on Sunday brought back memories of my own participation while at Ladybrook Junior School, and most recently of watching my now grown-up children take part. It was great to go back and see the talent on show."

For more on the Mansfield Music and Drama Festival, see the May 22 edition of your Chad.