Trophies

Doris (Mills) Lewis Memorial Trophy

Awarded for the most outstanding performance of an Oratorio Aria or J.S. Bach Aria by a Grade A or Honours Level vocalist 

Mr. B.E. Lewis donated the Doris (Mills) Lewis Memorial Trophy to the Winnipeg Music Festival in 1970.

Doris Irene Mills was born in Fort William, Ontario in 1907.  She inherited her passionate love for good music from her family and received early teaching in piano and theory in Fort William and in Oakville.  When the family moved to Manitoba, Doris enrolled as a student at Brandon College, studying with Ruth Morgan for voice and Dr. W.L. Wright for piano and theory.  While serving as contralto soloist at St. Paul’s United Church in Brandon, Doris studied pipe organ and received guidance and inspiration in religious music and oratorio from the director of music, Harry Thornborough.  She led an active musical life in Brandon as a concert and radio recitalist and as junior choir leader at St. Paul’s.

In Winnipeg, Doris continued her preparation for Royal Conservatory examinations, studying with Gladys Whitehead, J. Roberto Wood and Stanley Hoban.  She was awarded dual Royal Conservatory degrees in vocal performance and teaching.  After her marriage she enjoyed post-graduate consultation and studies with eminent British adjudicator, John Goss.  Doris was a member of the Westminster United Church Choir, the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir, the Metropolitan Choir and the CBC Choristers.  She belonged to the Registered Music Teachers’ Association of Manitoba, teaching voice at the Bornoff School of Music and privately in Winnipeg for 10 years.  She died on December 29, 1966.

Winners

1970 Henrietta Cornies
1971 Frances Seaton
1972 John Nelson
1973 Elizabeth Neufeld
1974 Heather Wilberforce
1975 Lynne Moncrief-Ewert
       & D. Mark Watson
1976 Hilda Driedger
1977 John Bartlette
1978 Margot Sim
1979 Heidi Geddert
1980 Robert Shannon
1981 Heidi Geddert
1982 Victor Engbrecht
1983 Ruth Beenken
1984 Tracy Dahl
1985 Phillip L. Ens
1986 Peter Wiens
1987 Valdine Anderson
1988 Wendy Ewert
1989 Deborah Reimer
1990 Pamela Johnson
1991 Mark Bartel & Peter Wiens
1992 Karis R. Wiebe
1993 Karen Smith
1994 Marni Enns & Terence Mierau
1995 Melinda Enns
1996 Marni Enns
1997 Marni Enns
1998 Susan Gilmore Bailey
1999 Carolyn Boyes

2000 Marni Enns
2001 Nikki Einfeld
2002 Melanie Mason
2003 Matt Pauls
2004 Andriana Chuchman
2005 John Van Benthem
2006 Tannis Collins
2007 Jennifer Sproule
2008 Chris Enns
2009 Aran Matsuda
2010 Rosanna Murphy
2011 Aaron Hutton
2012 Ainsley Wray
2013 Victoria Marshall
2014 Daniel Thielmann
2015 Ben Kroeker
2016 Emily Diehl-Reader
2017 Emily Diehl-Reader
2018 Trevor Schriemer
2019 Jennifer Turner
2020 COVID
2021 Katrina Tamagi
2022 Aemilia Moser
2023 Alice Macgregor
2024 Alice Macgregor