Genesis Foundation (arts charity)

25 students have been awarded Genesis scholarships over the past 20 years at LAMDA, the oldest drama school in the United Kingdom. Past LAMDA scholars include Samuel Barnett, Tom Riley and Ben Aldridge.

In 2017 the scholarship programme was replaced by the Genesis Network which provides mentoring to LAMDA final year students by pairing them with a graduate mentor to support them as they complete their training and enter the industry.[5]

Since 2010, the Genesis Foundation has collaborated with British chamber choir The Sixteen and funded Genesis Sixteen, the annual free young artists’ scheme for 18-23 year old ensemble singers. Genesis Sixteen provides group tuition, individual mentoring and masterclasses run by vocal experts.

The Genesis Foundation also commissions new choral pieces from leading and emerging composers, which are then premiered and recorded by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen for their record label CORO. The world premiere of James MacMillan’s Stabat mater, a 60-minute work for choir and string orchestra commissioned by the Genesis Foundation, was given its UK premiere by Harry Christophers, The Sixteen and Britten Sinfonia at the Barbican Centre, London in October 2016.[6] Its recording was favourably reviewed, and it won numerous awards.[7] In April 2018 it became the first concert to be live-streamed from the Sistine Chapel.[8][9]

In May 2018, four new commissions led by Sir James MacMillan were premiered at Eton College Chapel and live-streamed. The commissions were all based on texts from the Eton Choirbook and were performed alongside works from the Choirbook.[10]

Past commissions include Spirit, Strength & Sorrow, three new Stabat Mater pieces by three leading composers Alissa Firsova, Tõnu Kõrvits and Matthew Martin; O Guiding Night,[11] music to poetry of the Spanish Mystics St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross by Ruth Byrchmore, Tarik O'Regan and Roderick Williams; settings of Padre Pio’s Prayer by James MacMillan, Roxanna Panufnik and Will Todd; and Will Todd’s Among Angels,[12] dedicated to John Studzinski on the occasion of his 50th birthday.[13]

On Tuesday 9 February 2016 the Genesis Foundation, in collaboration with the Choral Foundation, brought together leaders of the Catholic Church and the Church of England for the first service according to the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church to be celebrated since the 1550s at Hampton Court Palace’s Chapel Royal.

The Vespers’ service was performed by Harry Christophers, The Sixteen and Genesis Sixteen. The ensembles sang Thomas Tallis’s Magnificat, William Cornysh's Salve Regina and John Taverner’s ‘Leroy’ Kyrie. Members of the public were offered the chance to attend the service through a free ballot hosted by Classic FM.

The service was celebrated by Cardinal Vincent Nichols and included a sermon from Richard Chartres, KCVO, Bishop of London and Dean of Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal – Vespers was dedicated to John the Baptist. Prior to the service, the Cardinal and Dean were in conversation under the heading Faith and the Crown in Hampton Court Palace’s Great Hall. Their discussion addressed the relationship between the two churches and the monarchy.

From 2003-2009, the Genesis Foundation funded the Directors program at the Young Vic, supported and mentored by the Young Vic's previous artistic director David Lan. This programme provided support for professional directors at the early stages of their career.[14] Rufus Norris, Artistic Director of the National Theatre was the first Genesis Young Director.

As of 2018 the Genesis Foundation funds the one-year Genesis Fellowship[15] (holder Nadia Latif),[16] the Genesis Directors Network and two Genesis Future Directors awards per year (holders John Wilkinson and Debbie Hannan).[17][18]

Past Genesis Fellows include: Gbolahan Obisesan (Cuttin’ It and Sus),[19][20] Natalie Abrahami (Wings, Happy Days and Ah, Wilderness!),[21] Joe Hill-Gibbins (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Measure for Measure)[22] and Carrie Cracknell (Macbeth, co-directed with Lucy Guerin).[23][24]

Past Genesis Future Directors include: Ben Kidd,[25] Matthew Xia,[26] Tinuke Craig,[27] Ola Ince,[28] Lucy J. Skillbeck,[29] Nancy Medina,.[30]

In 2017 the Genesis Foundation started a partnership with the Royal National Theatre supporting its artistic director Rufus Norris in the development of new forms of music theatre work in the UK.[31][32] The Genesis Music Theatre Group is part of the National’s New Work Department.

The Foundation’s support of Rufus Norris dates back to 2003 when he was the first Genesis Director at the Young Vic.[33]