Musicians’ Company Award for Organists (formerly W T Best Memorial Scholarship)

An award to give financial assistance for one year to a graduate organist of exceptional promise and to develop their career with a period of intensive further study.

Inaugurated: 1957
Past holders include: Steuart Bedford, Stephen Cleobury, John Scott, Stephen Farr
Current holder: Charles Maxtone-Smith
Entry: Next award 2025.

Previous winners:
1957 Christine Waple
1960 Susan Landale
1963 Steuart Bedford
1965 Timothy Farrell
1968 David Bruce-Payne
1971 Stephen Cleobury
1974 Carys Mon Hughes
1977 Jonathan Holmes
1980 John Scott
1981 Jane Watts
1983 Andrew Lucas
1986 David Liddle
1990 Stephen Farr
1993 David Goode
1996 Matthew Owens (1 year); Neil Cockburn (2 years)
1999 Simon Bell
2002 Clive Driskill-Smith (1 year); Jonathan Scott (2 years)
2005 Francesca Massey (2 years); Ashley Grote (1 year)
2008 David Newsholme (4 years)
2014 Freddie James (3 years)
2017 Alexander Pott (3 years)
2023 Charles Maxtone-Smith