Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Gilded youth

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Gilded youth

    The Scotsman, UK
    May 2 2004


    Gilded youth

    by Kenneth Walton


    Final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year

    USHER HALL, EDINBURGH

    IN AN awe-inspiring showcase of prodigious young talent at the Usher
    Hall yesterday, 16-year-old Ayrshire violinist Nicola Benedetti beat
    off stiff competition to win the grand final of the 2004 BBC Young
    Musician of the Year award.

    All five finalists showed remarkable presence and confidence before a
    2,000 capacity audience and prestigious panel of judges. And each one,
    from the pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, 11, to the 17-year-old
    percussionist Lucy Beeson, displayed complete professionalism in the
    way they handled their concerto roles with the BBC Scottish Symphony
    Orchestra, under its principal conductor, Ilan Volkov.

    It was, we were told, the youngest set of finalists in the
    competition’s 26-year history. Highlighting that, the diminutive
    Grosvenor gave a technically assured account of Ravel’s G major Piano
    Concerto on a concert grand lent to him by the makers Bösendorfer,
    specially adapted to accommodate his size. Grosvenor is scheduled to
    appear next season, playing Mozart and Britten, in the Scottish
    Ensemble’s High Flyers tour. Each of yesterday’s finalists chose
    challenging, rather than predictable repertoire. Lucy Beeson’s
    cool-headed performance of Joe Duddell’s percussion concerto Ruby
    revealed music of immense beauty. Welsh 15-year-old Daniel de
    Gruchy-Lambert chose the Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian’s
    excitable Trumpet Concerto to display his buoyant virtuosity. The
    Manchester flautist Adam Walker produced exquisite variances of tone in
    a bristling performance of Neilsen’s Flute Concerto.

    But there was one clear winner. Nicola Benedetti’s performance of
    Szymanowski’s First Violin Concerto was utterly captivating. It was
    technically outstanding, and the charisma and musicianship of her
    performance was that of the accomplished artist we know her to be. This
    was playing soaked in delicacy, subtlety and sheer virtuosity. Her star
    is very much in the ascendent.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Working...
X