Stephen Parker Award
Origins and History of the Stephen Parker Memorial Trust
Stephen Parker was a student of the City of Belfast School of Music who played French Horn in the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra under the direction of Mr Leonard Pugh. Stephen was fourteen and a half years old when he bacame a victim of what has come to be known in the history of Northern Ireland as the Bloody Friday outrage on July 21st, 1972. He died as he endeavoured to warn others of the presence of an unexploded car bomb. An innocent victim of a terrorist outrage in a purely residential area of the City.
The Stephen Parker Memorial Trust was born out of this tragic situation. Knowing how much Stephen appreciated his place in the CBYO, his parents decided that his memorial had to be capable of contributing in the long term towards "the life and welfare of his beloved orchestra." A substantial sum of money donated at the time of Stephen's death was invested and has been further added to over the years. Each year 75% of the annual income of this investment is awarded as a prize to "the member or members of the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra who make the best all round progress during the year." Students are then free to use this award to further their musical study through assisting with lessons or masterclasses or contributing towards the purchase of equipment.
The residual amount is reinvested to maintain the value of the prize.
Stephen was a trier and his parents felt it appropriate that "evidence of having tried very hard" ought to be the major factor in deciding eligibility for his memorial prize.
Each year the trustees of the memorial meet to decide upon a winner based on evidence provided by the Orchestra staff. The winner is announced and the recipient presented with the award during the Orchestra's Summer Concert.
The Stephen Parker Memorial Trust is administered by the Belfast Education and Library Board.
Anyone wishing to make a donation to the trust can do so care of :
Mrs Rowena Eames
Head of Music Services
City of Belfast School of Music
Fortwilliam Centre
29a Fortwilliam Park
Belfast
BT15 4AR
This year's winner of the Stephen Parker Award
Malachy Frame with conductor of CBYO, Paul McBrie
Previous Winners
2011 Malachy Frame2010 Susanna Gawn
2009 Emma King
2008 David Douglas
2007 Christopher Rooney
2006 Charles Reilly
2005 Sarah Brown
2004 Michael Trainor
2003 David McCann
2002 Ciaran McCabe
2001 Scott Foster
2000 Jonathan Corry / Michael McHale
1999 Jonathan Coffey
1998 Peter Black
1997 Roger McCann
1996 Kate Openshaw
1995 Natalie Thompson
1994 Anne Harper
1993 S Nesbitt
1992 Robin Clinton
1991 M C Lowry
1990 A Carney
1989 C Taylor
1988 J Fleming
1987 Ruth Montgomery
1986 Nigel Ireland
1985 Cheryl Agnew
1984 Marianne Ho / Ruth Kilpatrick
1983 Janet McMaster / Margaret Flanagan
1982 David McMaster
1981 Rosin McCrisken
1980 Kathryn Clements / Jennifer McCreery
1979 Eleanor Wilkinson
1978 Pauline Fitzpartick
1977 Paul McCrisken
1976 Jeremy Adair
1975 Hazel Mulligan / Dominic McHugh
1974 Noleen Bell / John Anderson
1973 Charles Wood