Cellist Richard Narroway Awarded Australia’s Freedman Classical Prize

Presented since 2001, the AUD $20,000 bursary is awarded annually to an outstanding young Australian classical music instrumentalist or jazz musician under the age of 35

This week, the Australian Music Trust awarded 29-year-old Australian cellist Richard Narroway the 2020 Freedman Classical Fellowship.

A graduate of Northwestern University, The Juilliard School, and the University of Michigan, Richard will use the fellowship towards the commissioning and touring of 10 new works by Australian composers.

“This year’s Fellowship process, affected by COVID-19, border closures and lock downs, did not fail to draw out some big ideas about music, renewal and audience engagement and Richard Narroway displayed a maturity and sense of arrival in his career," jury member Claire Edwardes said.

Richard is a former top prize winner at the Stulberg International Competition, the Beijing International Competition, and the Australian Youth Classical Music Competition.

This year's other finalists were Australian violinists Grace Clifford and Harry Ward, and cellist James Morley.

The 2020 jury comprised Roland Peelman, Claire Edwardes, and Dr. Stephen Mould.

"This is such an incredible honour and a huge boost for me during what has been a rather strange time here! I am so grateful to the panel for believing in my playing and my vision, " Richard Narroway said.