2006 Competition Report

Yin-Shan (Eva) Hsieh, marimba. Birmingham Conservatoire, from Tai Wan
Edgar Bailey, violin. Royal Academy, from Cheltenham.
Alisa Liubarskaya, cello. Birmingham Conservatoire, from Belarus.

Runner up Clare Graves, flute.

Commended as promising performers were Ben Westlake, 13, clarinet from Solihull, and Toby Hughes, 13, double bass, from Malvern (plays in Chandos).

Yin-Shan (Eva) Hsieh

Report (by Linda Fowler)

The Chandos Symphony Orchestra Young Musician competition. Saturday 28th January 2006

On a crisp, cold, sunny morning in Malvern the audience did not expect to be transported to exotic locations from the middle of Elgar country; but Yin-Shan (Eva) Hsieh's performance on the marimba took us with Star-Trek like swiftness straight to the heart of a far eastern paradise. Reminiscent of the Balinese gamelan, the hypnotically sultry sounds and dreamy tremelos worked their magic in the Miyake work Chain. Constrast to the marimba timbre was provided in the scoring by two tambours, which had been placed with great care by Hsieh at the bass end of the marimba before starting the piece.

In Kopetski's Dance on a Shattered Mirror the soloist's total commitment and absorption in her music drew the audience further in, and then amazed us, with a visually-exciting display of athleticism, darting from one end of the instrument to the other, combined with eye-popping virtuosity wielded by the two pairs of sticks, a-times held triumphantly aloft. This diminuitive twenty-year old from Tai Wan, studying at the Birmingham Conservatoire, continued to captivate us with her final piece, the Hop from Three Moves for Marimba by Lensky. Contrasting tone across four different sticks meant that the ear was still constantly delighted by changing timbres and exciting cross ryhthms. Hsieh was a worthy winner, and her elegant and modest demeanor upon receiving her prize only served to charm us further.

In his summing up, Michael Lloyd, chair of the adjudicators, said he and fellow judges, Roger Clift and Caroline Heath, had heard musicians with lots of promise and lots of talent, but not always with the two combined! As always, they were looking for technical ability combined with musical presentation which engaged the audience. The first prize was presented to Hsieh by Malcom Rowson of Making Music West Midlands; the second prize was awarded to Edgar Bailey, from Cheltenham (studying violin at the Royal Academy) by Caroline Heath of the Mike Simpson Memorial Fund; and third prize was given to Alisa Liubarskaya from Belarus, (studying cello at the Birmingham Comservatoire) by David Llewellyn of the English Speaking Union.

A great treat for the audience and the judges (who had finished their deliberations in record time) was the recital given by last year's winner, Jessica Hayes. She played the Franck Sonata for Cello in A major with great poise and assurance, accompanied by an equally gifted young pianist, Christopher White. Originally from Chipping Norton, and now studying in her second year at the Royal Academy, former Chandos Orchestra member Hayes showed just what can be achieved in one year: her bow control and exquisite vibrato in the slow movement produced heart-melting moments of poignancy, only to be displaced by the shock of the last movement, in which the two players fought for their lives through the gathering storm, providing a dramatic coda to an intensely musical day.

Young start of future compete for top title

Young musicians from across the Midlands competed for the title of the Chandos Symphony Orchestra's Young Musician of 2006.

The event at St James's School, West Malvern, on Saturday, included two local virtuosos.

They were Hannah Roper, from Tarrington, who achieved the qualifying standard of Grade 8 by the age of 10. and double bassist Toby Hughes, 13, from Malvern, who already plays with the Chandos. Although both failed to make it into the final three, Toby was commended as a promising performer by the adjudicators.

Overall winner of the competition was marimba player Yin-Shan (Eva) Hsieh, who took home a £300 prize and the Eleanor Lloyd Cup. Eva, who is from Taiwan and studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire, may also be offered the chance to play with the Chandos.

Cheltenham violinist Edgar Bailey, who studies at the Royal Academy, was second, with Belarus cellist Alisa Uubarskaya, a student at the Birmingham Conservatoire, third. Another conservatoire student, flautist Clare Graves was named runner-up, while Ben Westlake, 13, a clarinettist from Solihull, was also commended.

Organiser Sheila Joynes, principal cellist with the Chandos, said: "All the performers played really well. There really was some wonderful music."

She said both Hannah and Toby were promising young musicians with years in front of them in the competition.