Bath Young Musician
Left to right Jack Harris (euphonium), Evie Maya (violin), The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Bath Clir Rob Appleyard, Ruben Ridyard (piano), Megan Ong (‘cello) and Amelia Wise (clarinet)..
Amelia Wise 2022 runner up performing Debussy – Premiere Rhapsodie and John Williams – Viktor’s Tale from ‘The Terminal’. Accompanied by Abigail Wise
Megan Ong 2022 runner up performing Bach – Prelude from Suite no 4 and Rachmaninoff – Vocalise. Accompanied by George Fradley
Ruben Ridyard 2022 winner performing E Dohnanyi – Rhapsody no 3 opus 11 and Beethoven – Grande Sonate in C minor opus 13, Pathetique 1st movement
Evie Maya 2022 runner up performing C C White – Levee Dance , F Kreisler – Liebesleid and F Kreisler – Tambourin Chinois. Accompanied by Maria Garcia
Jack Harris 2022 runner up performing Joseph Horovitz Euphonium Concerto, Karl Jenkins – Euphonium Concerto, Romanza and Peter Graham – Whirlwind Accompanied by Susan Avison
Bath Young Musician of the Year 2023 will take place on Wednesday October 11 in the Pump Room Bath. This event features a group of highly talented young local musicians and an evening of outstanding performances. It is a much anticipated part of Bath’s musical scene and the Mid-Somerset Festival takes great pride in knowing that many competitors over the years have gone on to enjoy successful musical careers.
The five young performers taking part are: Alexander Bichard – violin, Dorothy Hodge – alto saxophone, Rebecca O’Shea – viola, Indira Pandit – ‘cello, Amelia Wise – clarinet.
Last year’s winner, Ruben Ridyard returns to play the piano while the adjudicators make their decision.
Do come and join us for this very special evening and enjoy the performances of these exciting young talents and stars of the future.
2018 Finalists with the Mayor of Bath Clir Patrick Anketell-Jones
2017 Finalists with Councillor Cherry Beath
History of the Bath Young Musician of the Year event
November 2017 marked thirty years since the first Bath Young Musician of the Year contest when Liam Gribbin (flute) won the event. Since then it has been held every year, except 1988.
Finalists for this event are selected from those who have done very well in their vocal or instrumental classes in the previous March Mid-Somerset Festival. Competitors must be under 21 and live or study in Bath or within a 15 mile radius of the city.
Liam Gribbin has recently written:
“Winning the Bath Young Musician in 1987 meant a great deal. It galvanized me, a somewhat haphazard 18 year old, as Mary King may recall, and left me with no doubts about following a musical path as a flautist for the foreseeable future. I was extremely lucky that, for its first year, the final was a grand concert in the Guildhall and the prize was a wonderful trip to Australia as part of the bicentenary celebrations with the Mayor of Bath. I performed a number of concerts in Sydney and explained to countless Australians the link between Sydney and Bath. I went on to Music College later that year in London and then remained in the classical profession for a number of years afterwards. While I have not pursued music as my long-term career, winning that prize was a springboard not only into more flute performance, but also into an adulthood filled with classical music.”
Past Winners of Bath Young Musician of the Year
| 1987 | Liam Gribbin (flute) | 2003 | Danielle Jalowiecka (Recorder) |
| 1989 | Nicholas Ridley (oboe) | 2004 | Ollie Parsons (baritone) |
| 1990 | Kerry Griffin (violin) | 2005 | Emil Huckle-Kleve (violin) |
| 1991 | Anthony Bailey (clarinet) | 2006 | Christine Pinkard (clarinet) |
| 1992 | Hannah Conway (flute) | 2007 | Beatrice Newman (cello) |
| 1993 | Mark Allen(trumpet) | 2008 | Harry Hall (violin) |
| 1994 | Rebecca Smith (violin) | 2009 | Rowan Carolan (guitar) |
| 1995 | Clare Williams (piano) | 2010 | Ruth Knight (flute) |
| 1996 | Louise Hunt (piano) | 2011 | Lana Trimmer (violin) |
| 1997 | Sophie Wall (piano) | 2012 | Oliver Sourbut (tenor horn) |
| 1998 | Yang Bo (piano) | 2013 | Kirsty Chaplin (piano) |
| 1999 | James Bateman ( saxophone) | 2014 | Lizzie Daniels (violin) |
| 2000 | Anne Marie Cullum ( soprano) | 2015 | Sebrina Lambert-Rose (cello) |
| 2001 | Liv-Marie Fletcher (violin) | 2016 | Katherine Stonham (piano) |
| 2002 | Christopher Avison (trumpet) | 2017 | Rachel Stonham (violin) |
See syllabus and Festival calendar for details