Welcome to the Vaughan Williams Foundation – one of the foremost sources of funding for recent and contemporary music in the UK

The Vaughan Williams Foundation is a new grant-giving charity which upholds the values and vision of the celebrated composer Ralph Vaughan Williams and his wife Ursula Vaughan Williams.

Our principal aims are to honour RVW’s desire to support his fellow composers, and to help make his own work widely accessible to the general public.

VWF was founded in 2022, 150 years after the composer’s birth, and brings together the two charities originally set up by Ralph (RVW Trust) and Ursula (Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust).

Funding

VWF supports the work of British/Irish composers from the last 100 years, as well as projects which further the knowledge and understanding of the life and music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, and of the work of Ursula Vaughan Williams.

Applications for our next funding round are now open and ensembles, organisations and individuals are invited to apply.

VWF also offers annual £6,000 annual Vaughan Williams Bursaries to postgraduate composition students.

RVW150

12 October 2022 marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams, and the launch of this Foundation but #RVW150 celebrations continue into the summer of 2023.


Find out more about the composer and explore some of the projects going on in the anniversary year

READ THE LATEST

Image for the Tweet beginning: Looking forward to this premiere Twitter feed image.

music@malling

Looking forward to this premiere by @DPritchardm with @ingrettable @OliverWassHarp @TDPKemp @cdomaine information and tickets: http://www.musicatmalling.com @WildKatPR @VWFndn @soundandmusic @ace_national @TMBC_Kent @artistchagall @tw_events @tmc_tonbridge #music #newmusic #creative

Madeleine Mitchell

1 month today, 23.6 my new album Violin Conversations @naxosrecords @naxos_uk is released. Here’s a clip of the 1st of the 10 composers. I’m thrilled to include this by @ErrollynWallen and to have recorded it with her at the 🎹Thank you @_MattBelcher @adaqkhan @RCMLondon @VWFndn

Vaughan Williams Foundation

Ralph Vaughan Williams was a consummate teacher and unstintingly generous – to others and to many musical and charitable purposes – throughout his life.
Find out more about the history of the Vaughan Williams Foundation ⬇
https://vaughanwilliamsfoundation.org/the-foundation/history/

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Vaughan Williams Foundation

A letter to the @thetimes from Ralph Vaughan Williams contrubting the obituary of his old friend Ralph Wedgwood.
Find the full version here: https://vaughanwilliamsfoundation.org/letter/letter-from-ralph-vaughan-williams-to-the-editor-of-the-times-5/

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Alexis Paterson

I’ve been out of the office for a little bit…a joy to return today and get my first sight of outcomes from our current community project, ‘What the Lark Saw’ including a new song cycle for choirs by @lizlanecomposer. Thanks @VWFndn for backing this through its long journey!

Vaughan Williams Foundation

Throughout celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams a special series of new works responding to his music, ideas, or life, are being performed around the country. 🎶 #RVW150
https://vaughanwilliamsfoundation.org/news/new-commissions-for-rvw150/

Image for the Tweet beginning: A touching and reassuring letter Twitter feed image.

Vaughan Williams Foundation

A touching and reassuring letter from Ursula Vaughan Williams to Gretchen, the wife of composer Ross Lee Finney, following the death of Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Read the full letter here: https://vaughanwilliamsfoundation.org/letter/letter-from-ursula-vaughan-williams-to-mrs-ross-lee-finney-2/

Three Choirs Festival

PARTICIPATION | As the festival approaches, our celebration of the 150th birthday of Ralph Vaughan Williams, “What the Lark Saw” is in its final stages.
Read More 👇
https://3choirs.org/news/what-the-lark-saw-three-choirs-festival-participation-2023

#3choirs #3choirsfestival #gloucester2023

Image for the Tweet beginning: We have a searchable collection Twitter feed image.

Vaughan Williams Foundation

We have a searchable collection of thousands of letters from Ralph Vaughan Williams, and also a number of letters from Adeline and Ursula Vaughan Williams, available on our website.
🔎 Search the letters here: https://vaughanwilliamsfoundation.org/discover/letters/

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The Symphonist

Happy #NewReleaseFriday! Good Job it’s nearly the weekend so I can listen to @liverpoolphil and Andrew Manze in RVW’s “masque for dancing” masterpiece. It starts my symphony and orchestral #NewReleases playlist this week http://spoti.fi/3gwHG2X #RVW150

His music continues to inspire us. Its incredible breadth of style and outlook seems especially important in our polarised times.

CHRISTOPHER GLYNN, artistic director, Ryedale Festival

Among his acts were countless kindnesses, known only to himself and the persons concerned. He gave continuous encouragement to younger men. He had the dignified humility of a great man, and was utterly unself-seeking.

SIR ARTHUR BLISS, conductor

I cannot stress enough how important this organisation’s work is, what a profound difference it is making, and how it has enabled so many to develop creatively and give new work a platform. Vaughan Williams himself would surely be so proud of this legacy. 

ZOE MARTLEW, composer and cellist

It is necessary to know facts, but music will enable you to see past facts to the very essence of things in a way which science cannot do. The arts are the means by which we can look through the magic casements and see what lies beyond. 

RVW, letter to the children of Swaffham Primary School, 1958