BATH YOUNG MUSICIAN of the YEAR 2022
Bath Young Musician of the Year 2022 will take place on Wednesday October 12 in the Pump Room Bath. Taking part this year are five outstanding soloists who were all high achievers at this year’s Festival. They are Reuben Ridyard (piano), Amelia Wise (clarinet), Jack Harris (euphonium), Evie Maya (violin) and Megan Ong (‘cello).
We are delighted that Xavier Raynes, 2019 winner, will return to entertain us on Bassoon while the judges are making their decision.
Bath Young Musician of the Year 2019
This was another very inspiring concert at the Pump Room, emphasising how high the standard of musicianship continues to be, in spite of a rapidly changing world. The former Mayor of Bath, Patrick Anketell-Jones commented on this, adding it was a ‘life experience being in the presence of so much talent.’ Janet Read, Music Chair of the Mid-Somerset Festival, also welcomed Cherry Beath (Hon. Patron of the Mid-Somerset Festival) and Paul Roper of the Roper Family Charitable Trust, principal sponsors of the festival, who presented prizes to all contestants.
There were five different musicians: piano, horn, soprano, harp and bassoon, all of whom, the adjudicator said, performed superbly. It was not easy to choose a winner between different instruments/voices and genres of music, but the adjudicator said the most important aspects were to be in control of the music, to respond to the composer, have impressive techniques and the ability to change the sounds of the music at different sections.
Will Liao (Piano) played by memory Ravel’s Sonatine (2nd movement) and Chopin’s Ballade no 1 in G minor. Will Liao was born in Shenzhen, China in 2001 and came to England in 2017.
Anna Campbell (Horn) played Strauss (Horn Concerto no 1), Alexander Glasunow (Rêverie) and Paul Dukas (Villanelle). Anna was at Ralph Allen School and will be studying music at Sheffield University next year.
Clara Phelps (Soprano) sang by memory a good varied programme of songs by Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Copland and Parry. Clara is at Hayesfield 6thform and also hopes to study music at university.
Fifteen year old Kingswood student Sonia Sung (Harp) played by memory Hasselmans (Valse de Concert) and Prokofiev (Prelude in C).
Xavier Raynes (Bassoon), a Bath Young Musician finalist last year and a Year 13 student at King Edward’s School, played Mozart (Bassoon Concerto) and Rimsky-Korsakov (Flight of the Bumble Bee).
While the judges were choosing the winner, the 2018 Bath Young Musician Katie Bunney (Saxophone) played varied music by Planel (Prélude et Saltarelle) and Iturralde (Pequeña Czarda) reminding the audience of her superb performance the previous year. The winner of this marvellous concert was Xavier Raynes who had played so well on the bassoon. It was a wonderful evening, and all music lovers are strongly recommended to come to the future Mid-Somerset Festival concerts.