Desmonda Cathabel from Jakarta, Indonesia, studying at the Royal Academy of Music, has beaten off stiff competition from 11 other talented young singers to be named the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year.
She was crowned last night at the end of a hotly contested West End sing-off final – the first since the passing of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim – fittingly, in the Sondheim Theatre. The £1000 first prize was donated by Sondheim Society member Tessa Kulik, in memory of her husband Mark Jones.
Runner-Up was Ella Shepherd from Bird College Conservatoire, who was presented her prize of £500 from Society donor Jeremy Chapman. A third prize was also awarded, to Jade Oswald, also training at the Royal Academy of Music.