Last night saw the 66th Annual Music Competition begin with our Wind and Brass section final. Four musicians competed for the chance to win £5000 and a place in our Gold Medal final. The competition was very close, and the four performing had already beaten 10 other musicians from the semi-final auditions to compete in the section finals.

The competition began with an offstage performance of Debussy’s Syrinx by Christopher Hart trumpet, followed by Marcello’s Oboe Concerto in D Minor, and the third movement of Hindemith’s Trumpet Sonata. Christopher was followed by clarinettist Elliot Gresty, who performed the contemporary Berg 4 Pieces for Clarinet & Piano followed by Lovreglio Concert fantasy on themes from ‘La Traviata’. Jonathan Radford saxophone, followed with a programme of Debussy, Turnage Two elegies Framing a shout for soprano saxophone and the Presto from Khatchaturian’s Sonata Op. 1 for Violin. Closing the concert was flautist Daniel Shao who performed the unaccompanied Eolia by Hurel, contrasted by Bach’s Siciliano from the Flute Sonata in E-flat Major and finishing with Dutilleux’s Sonatine for Flute and Piano.

All four musicians gave an incredible performance and it was down to our panel of judges to decide on who would win out of these four incredible musicians. In the end, it was the outstanding playing of saxophonist Jonathan Radford who won the section final and will progress through to the Gold Medal final.

If you didn’t make it down to this section final, don’t worry! Tickets are still available for the rest of the section final competitions, for more information, click here.

Pin It