ALICE F. "LAL" MILLS MEMORIAL TROPHY

The Alice F. "Lal" Mills Memorial Trophy was donated to the Winnipeg Music Festival in 1963 by a group of her friends from across Canada. This trophy is awarded for the most outstanding performance of a Folk Song, traditional or traditional style, by a Grade B vocalist.

Born in England on March 14, 1896, Alice (Evans) Mills grew up at Rossel, near Reading, and came to Canada with her parents in 1916. With the exception of a short time in Carman, she lived in Winnipeg until 1946. She possessed an exceptionally fine contralto voice, and studied in England and then in Winnipeg under Arnold Dann and R.T. Halliley. She was the contralto soloist at Young United and Grace United churches. A voice teacher until 1940, she taught many well-known Winnipeg musicians and encouraged all of her pupils to enter the Winnipeg Music Festival. She was one of the prime movers in establishing the Aeolian Group. Mrs. Mills died in Vancouver on May 5th, 1962.

Year Winner Year Winner
1963 Erna DeFehr 1987 Alice Cameron
1964 Judy Taylor 1988 Tristin Tergesen
1965 Stephanie Lesyk 1989 Nancy Kroeker
1966 Patricia Johnson 1990 Kirsten Brough
1967 Barbara Dumas 1991 Colleen Smith
1968 Beverley Mazer 1992 Kevin Young
1969 Sigrid Thorsteinson 1993 Paul Mayba
1970 Clarke Saunders 1994 Sandra Fach
1971 no entry 1995 Marlo Campbell
1972 Frederick Simpson 1996 Amanda Hammond
1973 Vivien Laurie 1997 Maria Vincenten
1974 Lorna Brown 1998 Paul Neufeld
1975 Barbara Hicks 1999 John Van Benthem
1976 Gordon L. Clarke 2000 Don Murchison
1977 Andrew S. Thomson 2001 James A. R. Johnson
1978 Lisa Cosens 2002 James Johnson
1979 Craig Oliphant 2003 Don Murchison
1980 Joanne Rocan-Mercier 2004 Crystal Shostal
1981 Craig Sandell 2005 Krista Rey
1982 Murray Peterson

2006

Andrew Richert
1983 Duncan A. MacGregor

2007

Sara Clefstad
1984 Shawna Madeline Dyck 2008 Jodi Epp
1985 Michele Reimer & Colleen Morrison 2009 Alicia Dash
1986 Patty Jamieson