Announcing the Atarah’s Legacy Fund Memorial Prize winner 2025
We’re delighted to announce that Catherine Li has won the 2025 Atarah’s Legacy Fund Memorial Prize.
The Atarah’s Legacy Fund Memorial Prize awards up to £500 to support the musical education of a promising player from any category of the Competitions - in Catherine’s case, this was the Young Performer category, where she was also Highly Commended.
Catherine says:
'Receiving the Atarah Legacy Memorial Prize is a profound honour, and I am eager to use this opportunity to further my artistic exploration and pursuit of musical integrity. This prize is more than just support—it is an inspiring catalyst for growth, allowing me to explore areas of flute playing that I am deeply passionate about.
One such area is low flutes, particularly the alto and bass flute. Their velvety, resonant timbres possess a depth and warmth that captivate me, and I have been fortunate enough to attend workshops with Carla Rees that have reinforced my fascination with these instruments. Without a low flute of my own, these workshops provide a wonderful opportunity to enjoy playing a low flute in a supportive environment. I would love to attend more workshops like these.
I also hope to attend a flute summer school, immersing myself in intensive masterclasses and collaborative projects that will sharpen my artistry. Engaging with distinguished mentors and fellow musicians will provide me with new insights and inspirations, shaping my approach to interpretation and performance.
My ambitions extend beyond personal artistic growth—I am passionate about sharing music with wider communities, fostering accessibility and engagement. I know firsthand the transformative power of exposure to music, and I dream of initiating projects that bring high-quality musical experiences to audiences who may not otherwise have access. My school recently organised a concert at our local parish church, which I performed in, and I would love to participate in more events like these. I hope to inspire others as I was once inspired—to create moments of wonder and connection.
I am deeply grateful to the British Flute Society for this incredible opportunity. The Atarah Legacy Memorial Prize is an inspiring affirmation of the enriching power of music to shape an individual’s life. This award will support me in accessing invaluable opportunities that will continue to foster my innate connection and love for the flute. I look forward to continuing my journey and embracing all the possibilities that lie ahead.’
Look out for the July 2025 issue of our journal Pan, where Catherine shares more about her musical journey so far and the impact of the prize. In the meantime, a huge congratulations to Catherine!
About the Atarah’s Legacy Fund Memorial Prize
Atarah’s Legacy Fund was introduced in accordance with the wishes of Atarah Ben-Tovim MBE, our past Chair and a legend in the flute community. It was established shortly before her death to support the musical education of a Competitions entrant of merit, musical integrity and potential.
All entrants could put themselves forward, and the winner was chosen by the Prize’s panel, made up of the Competitions adjudicators, the prize advisory group, and the BFS Council. Musical integrity is something Atarah particularly wished to encourage, so the panel prioritised a core musicality rather than a display of virtuosity.
Thank you to everyone who has donated to Atarah’s Legacy Fund to make this prize possible.
To donate to Atarah’s Legacy Fund or visit our memorial message board for Atarah, please visit our Remembering Atarah Ben-Tovim page:
