2008 Competition Report

Results

1. Caroline Pether (17), violin, from Arden, Solihull — studying at Chethams.School, Manchester.
2. Leonid Nikishin (19), violin from Armenia — studying at Birmingham Conservatoire
3. Lydia Griffiths (18), oboe, from Hereford — studying at Guildhall School of Music.

Finalists

• Ben Goodrum, piano.
• Hayley License, flute.

Most promising performer

• Rebecca Eldridge, bassoon.

Best accompanist

• Martyn Parkes

Adjudicators

• Michael Lloyd, Helen Goode, Jonathan Clements

Report

It is often said that small is beautiful. Although this competition is small in comparison with its more famous counterparts, the standard of performance is remarkably high, and still rising. This year, eleven music students gave their all from the platform of St Edmunds' great vaulted hall to compete for this year’s increased prize money, sponsored by Making Music West Midlands.

The early round saw a sprinkling of British composers represented — Leighton, Elgar and York Bowen — flanked by the well-known composers and the not-so-well-known, such as William Kroll, Ambroise Thomas, Ysaye and Tomasi; and, unusually for this competition, a contribution by Rogers and Hammerstein and Lerner & Loewe, sung by Verity Branson — a student evidently at home in her own surroundings.

The audience, much bigger this year than in previous years (thanks to the extra newspaper coverage of the event), showed great appreciation of the high standard of music-making on offer, with an enthusiastic reception for instruments ranging from violin, viola and cello through to flute, oboe and bassoon, by way of piano and voice. The bassoonist Rebecca Eldridge gave a spirited performance of Mozart's Bassoon concerto and was rewarded for her efforts with a Most Promising Performer certificate. The Dutilleux Sonatine for Flute, always a popular showpiece at this competition was given an energetic reading by Hayley Licence, thereby finding her a place in the final. Other notable performances were given by Lydia Griffiths (3rd place) on oboe, playing a beautifully controlled Bach adagio from the Easter Oratorio; Hanano Kawase a 19 year-old Japanese student on piano with a flawless rendition of Bach's Italian concerto; and Ben Goodrum (finalist) on piano with Rachmaninov's dramatic Prelude in G minor, fully exploiting the sonorities of the Malvern College Steinway grand.

But as the day progressed two performers emerged head and shoulders above the rest: violinists Caroline Pether 17 from Solihull, and Leonid Nikishin, 19, from Armenia. Caroline played the jaunty virtuoso piece by William Kroll, Banjo and Fiddle with sparkling panache, whilst demonstrating her keen musicianship and ensemble in the Mozart Sonata in E minor for Violin and Piano (her accompanist Martyn Parkes later winning the Best Accompanist award). Leonid elected to play two unaccompanied pieces in his final round: JS Bach's Adagio and Fugue from the first Sonata for solo violin. This he played with great poise and precision, never allowing the frequent multiple-stops to interrupt the horizontal flow of the melodic lines; followed by the fiendishly difficult Ballad for solo violin by Belgian composer and virtuoso violinist, Ysaye.

But who would win? Adjudicators Helen Goode and Jonathan Clements (both orchestra members), and the chair, Michael Lloyd, conductor, had no doubt about awarding first prize to Caroline Pether, currently a student at Chethams.School, near Manchester. In fact, her performance was so convincing, that Lloyd immediately offered her a concerto with the orchestra. Prizes were awarded by the sponsors: Malcolm Rowson from Making Music West Midlands, who also offered Caroline an engagement; Richard Brooks (orchestra chairman) on behalf of the Mike Simpson Memorial fund; David Llewellyn of the English Speaking Union; and Ernie Kay of the Elmley Foundation. Sue Johns, organiser, addressing the packed audience in her summing up observed that in the fourteenth year of the competition we were all delighted to have heard such tremendous music-making in beautiful surroundings, everyone nodding their agreement!

The excellent recital by last year’s winner, violinist Edgar Bailey, included a mysterious piece by Jeremy Pike (head of composition at Chetham's) called Aphelion. First performed in 2002, its strange, melancholic lines evoke the mysteries and harmonies of the solar system. Flanked by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky it provided a thought-provoking interlude, and was obviously greatly enjoyed. Edgar was accompanied by Yoko Arai.

Not to be missed is the performance by 2005 competition winner, Jessica Hayes, in the gloriously bitter-sweet Elgar cello concerto with Chandos, in the Young Musician Showcase concert on 7th September 2008 at the Forum Theatre, Malvern.

Linda Fowler