The Young Musician of the Year Final took place on Tuesday evening in the presence of our adjudicator for the evening: Sam Jackson, Controller of BBC Radio 3. The Junior Young Musician of the year was awarded to Joshua (Year 9), who played Grovlez’s Sarabande et Allegro on saxophone, and the Senior Musician of the Year was Han (Year 11) who played David Popper’s Hungarian Rhapsody on the cello. Joshua gives his own reflections on the evening’s events below.

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On Tuesday, 2 May, around 20 musicians, who had all performed very strongly in the House Music instrumental and vocal classes back in February, joined an eager audience in the Recital Hall of the Britton Centre. Every participant had practised diligently and had earned their spot in this high-stakes final. Frantically re-reading through their music, buzzing with anticipation, one question was on their minds: who would be crowned Wilson’s Young Musician of the Year?

Amid all the excitement, it was easy to overlook the significance of this event: the Britton Centre’s brand-new recital hall was hosting its very first Young Musician of the Year final. Many people - most notably Mr Cole and the music department’s Dr Burton, Mr Lissimore, Mr Kramer, Dr Clayden, and Mrs Straw - have worked tirelessly to ensure the building offers Wilson’s students an inspiring space to make music. It is because of their efforts that we could enjoy such evening like this. 

The event did not disappoint: every student flourished in their performance and their careful preparation paid off. Our very charismatic adjudicator – Sam Jackson, Controller of BBC Radio 3 – seemed impressed with us and gave really encouraging feedback. From distinctive renditions of a renowned piano works to Romantic character pieces, vocal performance from Les Misérables and Hamilton and an exhilarating electric guitar solo, the evening covered a lot of musical territory.

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First, the Junior Young Musician top three were announced:

3rd. Alex on piano
2nd. Marko on classical guitar
1st. Joshua on saxophone

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Then, the Senior Young Musician of the Year:

3rd. Tarun on electric guitar
2nd. Aditya on mridangam (percussion)
1st. Han on cello

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We were so lucky to have such an eminent figure from the music industry to inspire us in our performances and to provide such helpful feedback – in that sense, nobody went home empty handed!
 

For details of the programme, please click here.