Due to the current restrictions, we are sorry to announce that the Gloucestershire Young Musician competition will not occur this year.

We are hoping to resume the competition next year and more details will appear here in due course.

We are also hoping to arrange the winner’s concert for the 2020 winner, Darcy Beck, in June 2021. More details will be posted here in due course.

Darcy Beck was always fascinated by the sounds of instruments coming from the back of the orchestra and so began her career as a percussionist.
Last night, the 18-year-old gap year student from Prestbury, became the county’s Young Musician of the Year 2020 – and the first percussionist to do so.
Her spell-binding performance on a marimba, loaned by the Nicholas Branston Foundation, opened the finals at Pittville Pump Room. She wowed the judges – complete with one piece on timbales involving light sticks in a darkened auditorium.
The former Cheltenham Ladies’ College student will be setting off to read Music at Cardiff University in September. But, just as with last year’s contest, the audience had a different idea about who should have won. Their choice was 16-year-old pianist Edwin Ward, from Cirencester, whose superb ‘smoking-jacket’ inspired performance of Erroll Garner’s ‘Misty’ persuaded the audience he should receive the Carducci Music Trust Audience Prize.
The county’s musical youth shone with superb performances from 15-year-old cellist Souny Park from Cheltenham Ladies’ College, 17-year-old pianist Aaron Le Maistre from Sir Thomas Rich’s School and 18-year-old flautist Bethany Loader, from Denmark Road High School.
And to top off the evening, while the judges Professors Derek Aviss and Christine Hankin, and Meurig Bowen considered their verdict, the audience was treated to a performance by 2016 winner Adam Heron, who played Sonata No 3 by Chopin.
Glyn Oxley, musical director of organisers Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra, compered the evening with great humour.

Watch a video of Darcy’s winning performance.

 

 

 

 

 

Clockwise from top left: Darcy Beck, 18, from Prestbury; Edwin Ward, 16, from Cirencester; Souny Park, 15, from Cheltenham; Aaron Le Maistre, 17, from Cheltenham; Bethany Loader, 18, from Gloucester.

FIVE exceptionally talented students, ranging in age from 15-18, have made it through to the finals of the Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year 2020.
They include Royal Birmingham Youth Conservatoire student percussionist Darcy Beck, 18, who is on her gap year after attending Cheltenham Ladies College, and fellow Ladies College student cellist Souny Park, who at 15, is the youngest finalist for 2020.
Multi-talented musician Aaron Le Maistre, from Gloucester’s Sir Thomas Rich’s School has returned as a competition candidate this year and won his place in the finals on piano. Last year the 17-year-old from Cheltenham, entered with two instruments, including his violin.
Cirencester pianist Edwin Ward, 16, from Pate’s Grammar School, has won through to the finals on his first attempt as has Gloucester-based Bethany Loader, 18, who is a student at the city’s Denmark Road High School.
Adjudicating the first round was Professor Derek Aviss, former executive director of Trinity Laban and ex-principal of Trinity College. Based in the county, he is president of the Gloucestershire Academy of Music, which hosted the auditions. He will chair the judging panel at the finals concert on 3 March 2020 at 7pm in Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham.
At the end of the evening, Professor Aviss will announce the Young Musician 2020 winner, who will receive a cash prize of £500, the Hewitt-Jones Trophy and will be given the opportunity to perform a recital at the Cheltenham Music Festival, as well as two concerto performances with Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra and Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra.
The runners-up will receive cash prizes of £50 each and there will also be an Audience Prize of £200 sponsored by the Carducci Trust – the charitable trust initiated by the prestigious Carducci String Quartet based in Gloucestershire.
Sponsors are Brimpsfield Music Society, Make Music Gloucestershire, Cheltenham Festivals and Ann Heron, mother of 2016 winner Adam Heron.
Tickets are £15 for adults and free for under-18s. Book in advance by ringing the Cheltenham Trust Box Office on 0844 576 2210; email ; book online via https://www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk or on the door.