12 June 2019
Tonight we heard the third and final phase of this year’s solo competitions, the junior category, which presented five performances in front of our visiting adjudicator, William Morris, the Director of Music at the Dragon School, Oxford.
There were some really impressive performances from a range of instruments, including woodwind, brass, strings and piano. The age range of performers was from the First to the Fourth Year with Arthur Robertson, from the First Year playing a jazzy, advanced piece, Gershwin’s Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off with, great aplomb.
The other performers included David Hrushovski (clarinet), Jamie Robson (violin), Robin Collins (piano) and Jonathan Pannett-Smith (violin).
The final decision was very close and there was little to separate some really lovely performances from such a variety of instruments. In the end, Robin Collins was rewarded with first prize for some very beautiful playing of a piano piece by Christian Hartmann, Den Lille Danserinnen.
Mr Morris made some really encouraging and inspiring comments about all of the performances with helpful suggestions for moving to the next level and lots of things for the performers to think about. The standard was very high throughout.
Our thanks to all the teachers who helped prepare the boys, to our accompanists, Lynette Stulting and Mariette Pringle, and of course to the boys, themselves, for a lovely programme in this competition, which, now in its fourth year has maintained the excellent standard of previous years.
