Emotional performances steal the show at music festival

THE level of competition at the Portsmouth Music Festival this year has been ‘exceptionally high’ according to the festival treasurer.

The Speech and Drama sections once again filled a full two days and the young entrants delighted both the audience and the adjudicator with some truly spellbinding performances.

Meanwhile, the Strings section was held at Crookhorn College. During the day the audience was treated to a varied and impressive display of talent in solos, duets and orchestras from players as young as five, up to accomplished teenagers and adults, mostly from the Portsmouth area.

Treasurer Ian Frogley said: ‘Many performers stood out in the Speech and Drama sections but none more so than Grace Campbell who received Honours for her portrayal of Roxie Hart from Chicago and then, following a quick costume change, won honours again, along with Ewan Wharton, for their rendition of Song That Goes Like This from Spamalot.’

Paige Wilkes also had a standout performance during the event, winning the Sally Noble Bible Reading trophy. In doing so, she became the first person to win a trophy that had previously been awarded to her mother, Julia Burgess, in 1990.

In the Strings section, The Gordon Cawthorne Memorial Trophy was awarded to the cellist Daniel Simojoki, who made a big impression on the adjudicator in his age group with his performance of the first movement of Concertino No 1 Opus 7 by Klengel.

Ian Frogley added: ‘The Portsmouth Chorus Challenge Cup was awarded to Alexander Smith from Chichester, and the Wendy Towell Cup was won by Christopher Yang as the best intermediate level cellist for the second year in succession.

‘We are incredibly proud of everyone who has taken part so far.’

The full results are as follows:

SPEECH AND DRAMA

Paige Wilkes - Verse Reciting (5 - 7 years) - HC - Championship Verse Speaking Trophy

Rebecca Wicks - Verse Reciting (8 - 10 years) - D - Emma Russell Trophy

Dexter-Blue Harris - Verse Reading (5 - 7 years) - HC - Junior Verse Reading Trophy

Yasmin Ng - Verse Reading (8 - 10 years) - D - Victoryland Parents Trophy

Nellie Podesta - Verse Reading (11 - 13 years) - D - Intermediate Verse Reading Trophy

Paige Wilkes - Prose Reading (5 - 7 years) - M - Junior Prose Reading Cup

Dexter-Blue Harris - Prose Reciting (5 - 7 years) - M - Hampton Lakes Cup

Yasmin Ng - Prose Reciting (8 - 10 years) - HC - No Choice Trophy

Nellie Podesta - Prose Reciting (11 - 13 years) - D - Fairall Trophy

Paige Wilkes - Religious Reading (5 - 7 years) - HC - Sally Noble Bible Reading Trophy

Rebecca Wicks - Prose Sight Reading (8 - 10 years) - D - Davenport Trophy

Isabella Reynolds - Character Study (8 - 10 years) - D - Mayville Trophy

Elise Donoghue - Character Study (11 - 13 years) - Hons - Belinda Scrimgour Cup

Isabella Reynolds - Musical Theatre Character Study (8 - 10 years) - D - Victoryland Theatre Cup

Isabella Parsons - Musical Theatre Character Study (11 - 13 years) - Hons - Love Of Musical Theatre Award

Grace Butler & Harriet Laybourne - Duologue (8 - 10 years) - D - Underwood Cup

Alannah Edmead & Kiera Olney - Duologue (11 - 13 years) - D - Liz Pearce Cup

Charlotte Dixon - Shakespeare Character Study (14 - 16 years) - D - Russell Cup

Jack Smith - Shakespeare Character Study (17 years and over) - D - Ackland Cup

Jean-Mickael Hopkinson - Verse Reciting (14 to 16 years) - HC - Solent Cup

Jack Smith - Verse Reciting (17 years and over) - HC - John Gardener Cup

Lorraine Close - Verse Reciting (21 years and over) - D

Jean-Mickael Hopkinson - Prose Reading (14 to 16 years) - Hons - Rosemary Cup

Lorraine Close - Prose Reading (21 years and over) - HC

Katie Edwards - Character Study (14 - 16 years) - Hons - Mona Rickard Cup

Jean-Mickael Hopkinson & Ewan Wharton - Duologue (14 - 16 years) - D - Livsey Cup

Elle Stokes - Devised Solo (14 - 16 years) - D - Murray Cup

Maria Rivadossi, Georgia Bradley & Oliver Hollingsworth - Devised Trio (14 - 16 years) - HC -Elizabeth Bamborough Cup

Charlotte Dixon - Musical Theatre Character Study (14 - 16 years) - Hons - Enid Luxford Cup

Freya O’Grady & Emily Hunt - Musical Theatre Duologue (14 - 16 years) - D - Musical Theatre Shield

Grace Campbell - Musical Theatre Character Study (17 years and over) - Hons - Julia Cup

Grace Campbell & Ewan Wharton - Musical Theatre Duologue (17 years and over) - Hons - Cathleen Clemetson Memorial Cup

Acting Up - Musical Theatre Scene (5 to 18 years) - D - Diamond Jubilee Cup

STRINGS

Anjana Shaju - Own Choice - Pre-grade Standard - HC - Frederick Alexander Cup

Yasmin Ng - Own Choice - Grade 3 Standard - HC - Vincent Cup

Imogen Yeung - Own Choice - Grade 4 Standard - M

Zosia Pilsworth - Own Choice - Grade 5 Standard - HC - Durrant Cup

Daniel Simojoki - Own Choice - Grade 6-7 Standard - Hons - Leonard Velde Cup

Miriam Joyce Yab - Twentieth Century - Pre-grade Standard - HC - Katherine Cup

Katie Ho - Twentieth Century - Grade 3 Standard - HC - Evans Cup

Annabel Cullington-Doss - Twentieth Century - Grade 4 Standard - M

Christopher Yang - Twentieth Century - Grade 5 Standard - D - Marcus Cup

Kenji Luc - Own Choice - Grade 8-8+ Standard - D - Benny Freedman Cup

Zosia Pilsworth - Jazz, Swing & Ragtime - D - Kinsey Cup

Jia Feng - Romantic Piece (1830 - 1900) - D - Gary Cup

Kenji Luc - Unaccompanied Bach - HC - Lait No 1 Cup

Merete Pickard - Easy Concerto/Concertino - HC - G W Wall Cup

Alexander Smith - Sonata - Hons - Sonata Cup

Hannah Simojoki and Emma Paterson - Concerto - D - Warfield Beauchamp Cup

Emmy Huang - Recital - HC - K R Velde Cup

Yasmin and Sasha Ng - Unaccompanied Duet - Grade 1-3 Standard - D - Banks Cup

Annabel Cullington-Doss and Charlie Wright - Unaccompanied Duet - Grade 4-5 Standard - M

Yasmin and Sasha Ng - Duo - HC - Audrey Brown Cup

Linda Finch - Adult Recital - HC - Viva Chatterton-Allison Cup

Sasha and Yasmin Ng and Imogen Yeung - Family & Friends Ensemble - M

Petersfield ASSO - Youth Orchestra - HC - Youth Orchestra Cup

Seaview Strings - Adult Orchestra - HC - Weedon Baton