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AND HEARD NEWS
BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008: Category
finalists announced 10.1.2008 (BK)
The category finalists for BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008
have been announced and range from a 12 year-old trombonist
from Cheshire to an Oxford law student clarinet player whose
African grey parrot copies her scales. Some 360 musicians were auditioned during the past four months
for this year's competition which is now organised
in Cardiff by BBC Wales.
Age: 16. From: Lytham St. Annes, Lancs
Age:17. From: Littleborough, Lancashire Age: 16. From:
Troon, Ayrshire Age: 18. From:
Ipswich
Peter Moore - Trombone
Following a week of concerts at the Royal Welsh College of Music
and Drama four young musicians from each of the five categories
have now been selected to compete for the five places in the
final. The 20 category finalists will now compete in Cardiff in
February (19-23) for a coveted place in the final. The category
finals are to be held at the Royal Welsh College of Music and
Drama.
The complete list of category finalists is as follows:
STRING FINALISTS
Jadran Duncumb - Guitar
Age: 18. From: Ski, Norway
Based in Ski near Oslo in Norway, 18 year old Jadran began playing
the guitar 10 years ago. He is in his final year at Ski 6th
Form College and also attends Barratt Due Music Institute in Oslo
where he studies in the Conservatoire Class, a programme for a
handful of the very best young musicians in Norway. Jadran has
won the Norwegian National Youth Competition twice, not only in
the guitar class but also in the duet class with his brother Emil,
who competed in the Keyboard Semi-Final of BBC Young Musician.
Jadran intends studying music at a UK Conservatoire from autumn
2008.
Jun Sasaki - Cello
Age: 18. From: London
Jun is a student at the Yehudi Menuhin School and has played the
cello since he was five years old. He started the violin aged
four but decided he didn’t like it! Jun performs regularly at the
Menuhin School and as a soloist for outside engagements and has
recently performed with members of the London Mozart Players.
Taking A Level History and Music in the summer, Jun hopes to study
at the Royal College of Music from September 2008.
Cecilia Sultana De Maria - Harp
Age: 18. From: Warminster, Wilts
Cecilia already played piano and violin when she began playing the
harp aged 10. Currently at The Purcell School of Music, 18 year
old Cecilia also studies at the Junior Department at the Royal
College of Music in London where she is Principal Harp for their
symphony orchestra. A position she also holds with Purcell School
Symphony Orchestra and the London Schools’ Symphony Orchestra.
Cecilia’s harp has a fascinating story. Made in Chicago in the
1920’s its last owner was a nun who sadly had to sell it when her
convent was closed down!
Katherine Robb - Violin
Age: 14. From: Bushey, Herts
Katherine is a student at The Purcell School of Music. She
started playing the violin aged eight having been offered free
lessons at school. She has played in the 1st violins
of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for the last two
years and is the leader of The Purcell School Sinfonia. Katherine
also plays the piano but outside of her musical life, she loves
reading and watching films, particularly horror films! Katherine
is lucky enough to have been loaned a Joseph Albani Bolzano violin
c. 1721.
WOODWIND FINALISTS
Melanie Rothman - Oboe
Age: 16. From: Carshalton, Surrey
Melanie is at The Purcell School of Music and has been playing the
oboe for 5 and half years. She also attends the Junior Department
at the Royal Academy of Music where she is the Principal Oboe of
the Junior Academy’s Symphony Orchestra, a position she also holds
with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Melanie is
studying for AS Levels in Music, German and English Literature and
has a particular passion for the fashion and art of the 18th
Century.
David Smith - Flute
Age: 18. From: Fife
David Smith is at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh. He was
inspired to begin playing the flute just 4 years ago when he heard
Debussy’s L’aprés Midi d’un Faune. David plays in many of his
school’s chamber groups, the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra and the
National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, plus he is an accomplished
saxophonist. Amongst David’s non-musical passions he loves
shopping, clothes and shoes!
Anke Batty - Clarinet
Age: 18. From: Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Anke is in her first year at Oxford studying Law with Law Studies
in Europe. Clarinet is only one of Anke’s talents; she has
also achieved Grade 8 distinction in Singing, Piano and Saxophone,
whilst at King Edward VI School in Southampton. A member of the
National Youth Orchestra for seven years, she was co-principal
clarinettist during the 2006/07 season and is currently Principal
Clarinet of the Oxford University Orchestra. When she can find
the time, Anke enjoys tennis, swimming and scuba diving and she
owns an African Grey parrott who likes Messiaen and Poulenc and
will copy Anke’s scales, particularly minor arpeggios!
Joseph Shiner - Clarinet
Age: 16. From: East Brent, Somerset
Joseph is a student at Wells Cathedral School in Somerset. He
started playing the clarinet aged eight when his piano teacher
wanted him to have a second instrument so he could play in
ensembles. Joseph is still only 16 years old, but his ambition
after reading music at either Cambridge or a London Conservatoire
is to be either a soloist or a member of a chamber group and then
to teach at one of the major Conservatoires or Universities. He
has just been made Principal Clarinet of the National Youth
Orchestra of Great Britain after only two years of membership.
BRASS FINALISTS
Alexander Edmundson - French Horn
16 year old Alex is a student at Chetham’s School of Music in
Manchester. He began playing the horn at the age of seven having
heard Mozart’s Horn Concert No 4 played by his parent’s amateur
orchestra. Alex is also an accomplished pianist and sings bass in
the school’s chamber choir, and as well as playing in the
Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra, he is Principal Horn in the National
Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Alex is studying for A Levels
in Music, Music Technology and History and hopes to go onto music
college.
Henry Lindsay - Tuba
Age: 16. From: Amersham, Bucks
Henry has been playing the tuba for seven years, starting when he
was just nine years old. Now 16 and a pupil at The Purcell School
of Music, he also plays the piano and sings and hopes to become a
professional tuba player or singer. Henry plays in a variety of
ensembles both at school and at the Junior Royal Academy of Music
and is also a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great
Britain. Although music takes up most of his time, Henry also
enjoys football, rugby, computer games and loves eating whenever
possible.
Matthew White Euphonium
Age: 17. From: Bolton
Matthew White from Bolton was surrounded by brass instruments from
a very early age as both his parent and sister are all players.
An accomplished trombonist and pianist in addition to euphonium,
he is a pupil at Chetham’s School of Music studying A2 Level Maths
and Music, having already completed Music A Level. He plays with
the award winning Leyland Band and is Principal Euphonium with the
National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain as well as many
ensembles at school on both euphonium and trombone.
Peter Moore - Trombone
Age: 12. From: Stalybridge, Cheshire
At 12 years old, Peter is the youngest remaining musician in the
Competition. All Peter’s family are brass players and he started
playing the trombone aged six. In Year 7 at Chetham’s School of
Music, he plays in many groups and ensembles but has also held the
position of Principal Trombone of the National Children’s Band of
Great Britain for the last three years and is solo trombone player
with Wingates.
PERCUSSION FINALISTS
David Elliott
Age: 18. From: Bournemouth
David is currently at Trinity College of Music studying for BMus
Jazz degree having attended Chetham’s School of Music for three
years. 18 years old now, he started playing when he was seven
having been influenced by a drummer he saw when he was just three
years old! David is also an accomplished trumpeter and pianist
and has was Co- Principal in the National Youth Orchestra of Great
Britain percussion section for 2006/07. In his spare time, he
plays and watches rugby and football and during the summer months
enjoys spending time on the beach in his home town of Bournemouth.
Delia Stevens
Age: 16. From: Normanton-on-Soar, Leics
A pupil at Loughborough High School, 16 year old Delia also
attends the Junior Department at the Royal Northern College of
Music. In addition to working towards her GCSE’s this year, Delia
plays in many ensembles both at school and at JRNCM, is a member
of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and used to be
part of the National Children’s Orchestra. She also plays piano
and has reached Grade 8, but was inspired to take up percussion
after watching the school orchestra in action.
Jim Molyneux
Jim took up percussion at the age of seven as he had been hitting
buckets and ironing boards from a much earlier age! 10 years
later, he is a student in the Lower sixth at Chetham’s School of
Music, he also plays the piano accordion and sings. Jim plays in
various ensembles at school plus, a folk band called 4Square,
who tour the Britain playing summer folk festivals and a rock band
called The Zero Symphony.
Daniel Day
Age: 17. From: Hayfield, High Peak
17 year old Daniel began playing the drums when his Dad, a
professional drummer, bought him his first drum aged three years
old! An A Level student at Chetham’s School of Music, he is
studying Music, Music Technology and Geography. Daniel plays in
many of the ensembles at school including the symphony orchestra,
brass band, big band and Jazz quintet. He plays with fellow
percussion Semi-Finalist, Jim Molyneux, in a folk band called
4Square and is a member of a rock band called Lost Your Way.
Daniel is a keen Manchester City supporter and has a pet goat at
home in Derbyshire’s High Peak called Harry! No, surely the goat's
called Harry, (Ed)
KEYBOARD FINALISTS
Michael Foyle - Piano
A student at Wellington School in Ayr, 16 year old Michael from
Troon in Ayrshire, began playing the piano when he was six. An
accomplished violinist as well, he received his ABRSM Performance
Diploma when he was 14 and attends the Junior Department at the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama. Michael is the leader of
his school orchestra, sings in the school choir and plays piano in
the jazz band. He led the National Children’s Orchestra of
Scotland, been a member of the National Youth Orchestra of
Scotland and has recently been accepted in the National Youth
Orchestra of Great Britain.
Kausikan Rajeshkumar - Piano
Age: 17. From: Harrow, Middlesex
Kausikan is a pupil at The Purcell School of Music. He started
playing 10 years ago and has already chalked up an impressive list
of recital engagements both as a soloist and a chamber musician in
venues including Wigmore Hall, St John’s Smith Square and the
Queen Elizabeth Hall. Kausikan was a prize winner in 2005 at the
International Liszt Competition in Weimar and in addition to his
playing he has received awards for his composing including a
Highly Commended in BBC Young Composer of the Year 2006. He
enjoys good food and filling his mind with quite useless
information!
Erdem Misirlioğlu - Piano
Erdem is a student at Northgate High School in Ipswich studying
Music, Maths and Further Maths at A Level and travels every week
to the Junior Department at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Chamber music is a big part of Erdem’s musical life and he belongs
to a piano trio, a duo with violin and until recently a piano
duo. He enjoys almost any form of sport and also likes anything
that requires a logical thought process from maths puzzles to
chess.
Sam Law Piano
Age: 17. From: Ballymena, Antrim
17 year old Sam is from Ballymena, Co Antrim in Northern Ireland
and is a student at the Ballymena Academy where he is studying for
A Levels in French, German, Maths and Further Maths. He began
playing at the age of six and travels regularly to Dublin for
lessons at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Sam is a frequent
performer at music festivals in both Northern Ireland and the
Republic of Ireland and has achieved three diplomas in piano
performance.
The competition final is being held on May 10 and 11 at the Wales Millennium
Centre in
Details of competition broadcasts are yet to be confirmed but will
include coverage on BBC Two, BBC Four, BBC Wales, Radio 3, Radio
Wales, Radio Cymru and online.
For details of the category finals contact the RWCMD box office on
029 2039 1391. All concerts start at
7.30pm
Bill Kenny
For More Information:Contact:
Mike Smith Tel: 029 20 462686 Mobile: 07795 325161 or
Email:
mike@mediasmith.co.uk