2007 Competition Report

Results

Edgar Bailey, violin. Royal Academy, from Cheltenham.
Cosima Yu, clarinet. Birmingham Conservatoire.
Anna Ovsyanikova, cello. Birmingham Conservatoire, from Russia.

Finalist. Alex Pearson, flute. Birmingham Conservatoire.

Finalist. Toby Hughes, double bass, from Malvern (plays in Chandos).

Report

Edgar Bailey a music student from Cheltenham, now studying at the Royal Academy of Music won the first prize in the prestigious Chandos Symphony Orchestra Young Musician Competition on Saturday, in Malvern.

Edgar, a violinist, played the Delius Sonata in B major and the Brahms Hungarian Dance no 1 in his first round, both from memory; and impressed the adjudicators by playing a completing differnet programme in the final round, again from memory. Edgar was runner-up last year, and has clearly benfitted from a year at the top London music college. Edgar won the Eleanor Lloyd shield and a cash prize of £300, which was presented by Making Music West Midlands chairman, Malcolm Rowson. Edgar may have the opportunity to play a concerto with the orchestra, as well as the winner's recital next year.

(l) Malcolm Rowson (Chair Making Music West Midlands), Edgar Bailey, (r) Prof Robin Stowell (Cardiff University)

Linda Fowler Writes ...

Can this competition get any better? A whole day's top music-making yet again gave the adjudicators a conundrum in trying to decide who should take the top three prizes. In his summing up, chair of adjudicators, Professor Robin Stowell, was at pains to explain that the decision was not easy to arrive at, and that it might have gone a different way on a different day, as each performance has to be judged on its merits there and then. He went on to say however, that the three judges were unanimous in their choice of winner, violinist Edgar Bailey from Cheltenham and were most impressed with his ability to present an entirely different programme in his second round — and all from memory.

This year, instruments ranged from clarinet, piano, flute, oboe, double bass, trombone and violin, to soprano voice. It was pleasing to see Chandos's own youngest bassist, 14 year-old Toby Hughes reaching the final round this year, playing alongside second- and third-year students from the Conservatoire. The standard for music-making in the early rounds was quite astonishing: with performances including Zigeunerweisen, the virtuoso gypsy violin work by Sarasate, played sparklingly by Russian student Anna Ovsyanikova; the fiery flute sonata by Dutilleux played by Alex Pearson; and works for oboe by Poulenc and Dorah, introduced and performed by 17 year-old Sophie Allen. The selection of works by 20th century composers seemed to be the order of the day for most of the competitors, leaving the classical and romantics in the minority. This made for a tremendous range of technical and musical challenges to communicate to the audience.

A new venue, a new adjudicator and a new organiser, were three of the hurdles facing the competition, this year, but all went smoothly, giving those who attended yet another fascinating day's music-making. Even the arrival of a new baby for Chandos trumpeter (and intended adjudicator) Jonathan Clements failed to disrupt proceedings, as Richard Brookes, orchestra chairman, smoothly stepped into the breach at the last moment to join chairman Professor Robin Stowell, and fellow adjudicator and Chandos cellist, Lesley Adamson. New organiser, Sue Johns, kept the ship on course, even though she had never been to the competition before!

The third prize, sponsored by the English Speaking Union, was awarded to Cosima Yu, a 20 year-old clarinettist studying at the Conservatoire. Cosima played the Schumann Fantasiestücke für klavier und klarinette and Stravinsky's Three pieces for clarinet solo with effortless pizzazz.

Second prize, sponsored by The Mike Simpson Memorial Fund, was won by 20-year old violinist and fellow Conservatoire student Anna Ovsyanikova, with a contrasting programme of unaccompanied Bach followed by the Sarasate, stunningly performed from memory, and executed with breathtaking showmanship.

A programme which included the Delius Violin Sonata in B and the Brahms Hungarian Dance No 1, followed in the second round three new pieces including a Paganini Caprice with fiendishly difficult double stops, convinced the judges that Edgar Bailey, 19, from Cheltenham was worthy of the title of Chandos Young Musician of 2007. Edgar, currently studying at the Royal Academy in London, was presented with the Eleanor Lloyd Shield and a prize of £300, by Malcolm Rowson on behalf of Making Music West Midlands. Edgar may well be offered the opportunity to play a concerto with Chandos, but we shall certainly see him back as recitalist next year.

Showcasing her skills as a Chandos Young Musician of 2006, this year's recitalist, Taiwanese Conservatoire student Yin-Shan Hsieh (Eva) gave a magical performance on the solo Marimba, a delicious foretaste of things to come. Eva will be performing a work for Marimba and Orchestra with Chandos Symphony Orchestra, Abe's Prism Rhapsody, at Malvern on Sunday 9th September 2007.