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 1986 Patty Jamieson
1964 Judy Taylor 1987 Alice Cameron
1965 Stephanie Lesyk 1988 Tristin Tergesen
1966 Patricia Johnson 1989 Nancy Kroeker
1967 Barbara Dumas 1990 Kirsten Brough
1968 Beverley Mazer 1991 Colleen Smith
1969 Sigrid Thorsteinson 1992 Kevin Young
1970 Clarke Saunders 1993 Paul Mayba
1971 no entry 1994 Sandra Fach
1972 Frederick Simpson 1995 Marlo Campbell
1973 Vivien Laurie 1996 Amanda Hammond
1974 Lorna Brown 1997 Maria Vincenten
1975 Barbara Hicks 1998 Paul Neufeld
1976 Gordon L. Clarke 1999 John Van Benthem
1977 Andrew S. Thomson 2000 Don Murchison
1978 Lisa Cosens 2001 James A. R. Johnson
1979 Craig Oliphant 2002 James Johnson
1980 Joanne Rocan-Mercier 2003 Don Murchison
1981 Craig Sandell 2004 Crystal Shostal
1982 Murray Peterson 2005 Krista Rey
1983 Duncan A. MacGregor

2006

Andrew Richert
1984 Shawna Madeline Dyck

2007

Sara Clefstad
1985 Michele Reimer & Colleen Morrison 2008 Jodi Epp