Imogen Cooper Music Trust Scholarships

The Imogen Cooper Music Trust offers young artists the time and space to uncover the profound depths of the music being studied through intensive coaching. The exceptional young musicians who are awarded scholarships are about to embark on building their professional careers. They come mainly from the UK's leading music colleges, which every year are invited to send their most promising postgraduate students to audition for Imogen Cooper. Successful candidates will possess a prodigious talent, great potential and a deep thirst for improvement.

Mishka Rushdie Momen and Imogen Cooper at the first Eygalières Study Week, September 2015

The Trust is committed to the principle that no outstanding young artist will ever be excluded on financial grounds. For this reason, the invitation to a study week covers travel, accommodation, meals, instrument maintenance and many hours of individual tuition from Imogen Cooper. Financing these study weeks lies at the heart of the Trust’s fundraising activities.

Cristian Sandrin has a tutorial with Imogen, May 2017

The study weeks are held in a restored farmhouse in Provence, whose generous owners have created a haven where music making takes place in a relaxed and hospitable atmosphere. The environment is one of peace and tranquillity. There is a small number of participants in each week, so that every individual can receive the optimum number of tuition hours and mentoring. While Imogen provides one-to-one tuition for the piano, she may invite  an equally distinguished musician, such as Felicity Lott or Wolfgang Holzmair, to coach vocal artists in the lieder repertoire. There are usually two study weeks each year, in spring and autumn. 

Dominic Degavino has a tutorial with Imogen, June 2018

The first days take place in an environment of monastic seclusion.  Each scholar works on a small number of prepared pieces with Imogen, or the voice coach in the case of vocal music. Time is also allowed for intensive private study, discussion and individual practice. There are two grand pianos, including a fine 1960s Steinway D in a room large enough for a concert audience. At the end of each day, the group dines together, gets to know each other and discusses the musical questions of the day.

Felicity Lott and Sarah Gilford study the score, May 2019

On the penultimate day of the study week, the Trust holds an open masterclass to introduce visiting friends and supporters to the work that has been taking place. On the last day a private concert is given by Imogen and the Scholars. At the end of the concert the audience can meet Imogen and the young artists at the reception and enjoy the atmosphere of conviviality and community.

A Wolfgang Holzmair masterclass with Lotte Betts-Dean, Maria Hegele and Anna Szałuka at the piano, August 2018

As a result of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, the Trust’s study weeks in Provence were cancelled. The Trust’s scholars locked down in far flung locations, sent in messages and home-made video recordings of their work.  The Trust’s supporters sponsored several on-line concerts at this time, and also made donations to sponsor future live concerts.  When restrictions were lifted in May 2021, the Trust was in a good position to hold socially distanced recitals and in October 2021 resumed Imogen’s study week in Provence.  Ignas Maknickas and Wouter Valvekens were the fortunate scholarship holders.  The study weeks continue.

Ignas Maknickas, Imogen and Wouter Valvekens enjoy a walk in the Alpilles, Provence, October 2021

Performance experience is vital to young musicians embarking on a professional career therefore the Trust invites all its young scholars to perform a recital for its donors and supporters in London as part of their scholarship package.

Dmitrii Kalashnikov gives a recital at 30 Pavilion Road, June 2021

  • Lara Melda in 2015.

  • Imogen with Pavel Kolesnikov in 2016.

  • Samson Tsoy in 2016.

  • Cristian Sandrin with Imogen in 2017.

  • Anna Geniushene in 2018.

  • Wolfgang Holzmair and Lotte Betts-Dean in 2018.

  • Adèle Charvet and Florian Caroubi in 2019.

  • Xingyuan Wang in 2019.

  • Ignas Maknickas with Imogen in 2021.

  • Aiden Mikdad in 2022.

  • William Bracken with Imogen in 2022.

  • A Henk Leven masterclass in Provence with Keval Shah and Jeeyoung Lim, October 2022

  • An Imogen Cooper masterclass in Provence with Evren Ozel, October 2022

  • L to R: Jeeyoung Lim, Keval Shah, Imogen, Henk Neven, Iryna Kyshliaruk and host Bryan Youl take a bow at the end of the Showcase Concert, Provence October 2022.