The Markham Awards

Sarah Markham

The Sarah Markham Saxophone Award.

Awarded each year to an outstanding graduating student.

Not awarded this year

The Ralph Markham Achievement Award.

Awarded to a student in recognition of their personal achievements and development.

The 2023 recipient of the Ralph Markham Achievement Award is Keana Miller. Keana began her studies with me on the Foundation Year course at Leeds Conservatoire in 2019. A keen and committed saxophone player, Keana worked hard throughout her four years at Leeds Conservatoire to develop her playing, with a focus on core repertoire, lyricism in music, and research into under represented composers. As well as her solo work, Keana also specialised in chamber music, working with other saxophonists in quartets, quintets, and trios, and also in a duo with pianist Tara Wilson.

Having graduated from Leeds Conservatoire in 2023, Keana plans to continue to develop her playing whilst building her career in music, combining teaching, arts administration, and of course her saxophone playing. Keana receives a cash award from me, a Yamaha Digital Saxophone from Yamaha, saxophone reeds from Vandoren, and a piece of solo saxophone music from Saxtet Publications.

Ralph Markham
Many thanks to Vandoren, Yamaha and Saxtet Publications for their support.

Previous winners of the Markham Awards:

2022 Sarah Markham Award: Rosemary Ball (Royal College of Music Junior Department). Rosemary is continuing her studies at the Royal College of Music as a scholar, and at the European University of Saxophone, Gap, France.

2022 Ralph Markham Award: Lucy Havelock (University of York). Lucy has continued to develop her own sound as a saxophonist, composer, and improviser. Her music can be found on SoundCloud. She also presents on the radio station AAJA Music.

2021 Sarah Markham Award: Matthew Bartlett (Royal College of Music Junior Department and Durham University). Matt has taken some time off to develop his playing and his interest in politics.

2021 Ralph Markham Award: Will Gibbon (Leeds Conservatoire). Will has stayed in the Leeds area and is developing a portfolio career combining gigging and teaching both as a saxophonist and drummer.

2020 Sarah Markham Award: Jasmine Brown (Royal College of Music Junior Department). Jasmine went on to study saxophone at the Royal Northern College of Music.

2020 Ralph Markham Award: Rosemary Ball (Royal College of Music Junior Department). Rosemary is continuing her studies at the Royal College of Music Junior Department. She recently won her school’s concerto competition and will be performing the Dubois Saxophone Concerto with the school orchestra.

2019 Sarah Markham Award: Rianna Henriques (Royal College of Music Junior Department). Rianna is continuing her studies at the senior department of the Royal College of Music as a BAME scholar, studying saxophone and flute as joint first study.

2019 Ralph Markham Award: Megan Broadley (University of Huddersfield). Megan graduated with a 1st class degree and went on to complete a PGCE. She is now embarking on a teaching career.

2018 Sarah Markham Award: Konstantinos Raptis (Leeds Conservatoire). Konstantinos completed his Masters in Music (Creative Musician) at Leeds Conservatoire, having previously studied as an undergraduate with me at the University of Hull. He is now working as a saxophonist, teacher, music producer and DJ in Greece.

2018 Ralph Markham Award: Pui Ying Sze (University of Sheffield). Pui Ying completed her Masters in Music Performance at the University of Sheffield. She went on to study with Gerard McChrystal at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (London) and is now working as a teacher in Hong Kong.

2017 Sarah Markham Award: Felicity Evans-Waite (University of Durham). Felicity completed her degree with a First in both her double recital and contemporary performance modules.

2016 Sarah Markham Award: Kenneth Wilkinson (University of Huddersfield). Kenneth has completed a Masters in Research (Performance) at the University of Huddersfield. He is also a founder member of the saxophone ensemble Quirk.

2015 Sarah Markham Award: Lucy Fox (Leeds Conservatoire). Lucy has completed a Masters at Birmingham Conservatoire, where she studied with Naomi Sullivan.

2014 Sarah Markham Award: Matthew Rawlins (Leeds Conservatoire). Matt went on to study with Raaf Hekkema at the Royal Conservatoire, The Hague. 2014 Sarah Markham Award: Savannah Brown (Royal College of Music Junior Department). Savannah studied at the Royal Academy of Music and Boston University in the USA as a first study violinist. She has now returned to the UK and is embarking on a playing career.

2013 Sarah Markham Award: Nathan Hull (Leeds Conservatoire). Nathan went on to study with Rob Buckland at the Royal Northern College of Music.


Sarah Markham

Professor SARAH MARKHAM


Saxophonist Educator Conductor Mentor


Yamaha
Vandoren

Sarah is a Yamaha and Vandoren performing artist.

Sarah Markham

TEACHING


Sarah Markham's teaching practice welcomes students of all ages and abilities. Focuses include preparing students for music college, and helping amateur musicians get the most from their playing. Sarah is a specialist in helping students with performance anxiety issues.

Quirk Duo

QUIRK DUO


The Quirk Duo is saxophonists Sarah Markham and Kenneth Wilkinson. Between them they have a performing career spanning sixty years, enjoying many genres including solo recitals, opera, orchestral, jazz, pop and chamber music. The Quirk Duo is a distillation of those experiences, an exploration of possibilities.

Quirk Saxophone Quartet

QUIRK SAXOPHONE QUARTET


The.Quirk Saxophone Quartet is made up of like-minded saxophonists:

Sarah Markham - soprano
Kenneth Wilkinson - alto
Chris Jolly - tenor
Sarah Hind - baritone

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