Classics come to the forefront at Portsmouth Music Festival

THE 2017 Piano section of the Portsmouth Music Festival was a massive success, both for the competition and those who entered it.

Held over three days during the half term week, the Piano section took place at Portsmouth Academy for Girls.

Richard Deering, an accomplished professional adjudicator, listened to young, and not so young, performers, giving each one a very helpful, and sometimes amusing, critique. He said that was very impressed by the high standards of the young pianists.

There were some delightful performances in all the classes – one of note was Ting Xuan Yu, eight, from Southsea, who was awarded two trophies. Ten-year-old Bailey Lam was awarded Distinctions in three classes with pieces by Beethoven, Hillier and Kabalevsky.

The adjudicator was so impressed with a performance of 60s Swing by Susie Barrows that she received a trophy for outstanding musicianship and communication. Susie, 14, from Portsmouth, said that she was keen to perform in front of an audience.

Marjorie Smale, who has been a long-time supporter of the festival, entered several adult classes. She was awarded the L F Glanville Trophy for her performance of Peacherine Rag by Scott Joplin.

Treasurer Ian Frogley said: ‘Duets proved popular this year, especially with the adults who showed their skills with a wide variety of music from Bach to Moskowski, and from Brahms to Scott Joplin with some lesser known composers whose music is seldom heard, especially at such a high level as was heard at the festival this year.

‘Amongst the young pianists, Gwen and Johnny Sargent were commended for their Springtime piece while brother and sisters Louie and Sophie Wu, and Ling and Mia Drover swapped families for duets by Hengeveld and Noona.’

The full results are as follows:

Ziyue Pang - Novice 7 years & under - Hons - Carol Cup

Leona-Mei Beullens - Novice 8-9 years - D - Crystal Malcolm Memorial Trophy

Kieran Agrawal - Novice 10-12 years - D - Susan Cup

Ting Xuan Yu - Baroque 9 years & under - D - Festival Executive Golden Jubilee Trophy

Arrela Dominguez - Baroque 10-12 years - HC - Gordon Rose Trophy

Hanna Csermely - Baroque 13-15 years - D - Warfield Cup

Ameera Valencia - Baroque 16-18 years - HC - Guelda Hauton Trophy

Joanna Austin-Akinlotan - Classical - Pre-grade pieces - D - Victoria Cup

Rebecca Wicks - Classical - Grade 1 pieces - D - Dorothy Barnes Cup No.1

Vincent Li - Classical Grades 2-3 pieces - D - Rosalinda Cup

Louie Wu - Classical Grades 4-5 pieces - D - Kingston Cup

Sophie Wu - Classical Grades 6-7 pieces - D - Dorothy Barnes Cup No.2

Jago Shek - Classical Grades 8-8+ pieces - HC - Rachel Dean Memorial Trophy

Mia Drover - Romantic 9 years & under - D - Edith Fitzjohn Memorial Cup

Marvin Leung - Romantic 10-12 years - D - Eleanor Fernbank Cup

John Yu - Romantic 13-15 years - D - Lily & Arthur Cup

Daniel Garcia Tarifa - Romantic 16-18 years - HC - Bernard Trophy

Yixiang Hou - Twentieth century to the Present Day Pre-grade pieces - D - Bailey Cup (small)

Johnny Sargent - Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grade 1 pieces - HC - Catisfield Cup

William Campbell - Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grades 2-3 pieces - D - Bobby Munroe Challenge Cup

Susie Barrows - Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grades 4-5 pieces - D - Annette Dollery Cup

Hanna Csermely - Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grades 6-7 pieces - D - Thomas Beaton Cup

Ting Xuan Yu - Swing, Jazz & Blues 8-9 years - HC - Secretary’s Cup

Bethan Lodder - Swing, Jazz & Blues 10-11 years - HC - Elizabeth Hackney Cup

Huba Csermely - Swing, Jazz & Blues 12-13 years - D - Bert Blackhurst Trophy

Lydia Lydiate - Etude Class Grades 5-6 - D

Thomas Luke - Etude Class Grade 7-8 - D - EPTA Cup

Zhuoran Yao - Sonata and Sonatina Classes 11-13 years - D - Hambledon Cup

Zosia Pilsworth - Piano Plus 18 years and under - D - Philip Reder Trophy

Mia Drover - Recital Class Grades 3-5 - D - Margaret Roberts Cup

Michael Tao - Recital Class Grades 6-7 - D - Angela Cole Memorial Cup

Thomas Luke - Recital Class Grades 8-8+ - D - Joan Swift Piano Trophy

Ghin Sheng Choi - Sight Reading Grades 1-2 - D - National Association of Accordianists Cup

Leqi Song - Sight Reading Grades 3-5 - HC

Thomas Luke - Sight Reading Grades 6-8+ - Hons - Margaret Jewell Cup

Mia Drover and Louie Wu - Duet Class 9 years & under - HC - R. Glanville Memorial Cup

Leqi Song and Michael Tao - Duet Class 10-12 years - D - Elsie & Walter Crowther Cup

Ling Drover and Sophie Wu - Duet Class 13-15 years - D - Joynson Cup

Trinity Ward - Duet Class 10-12 years and under with adult or teacher - D - Margaret Ryan Cup

Ling and Miko Drover - Duet Class 13-15 years and under with adult or teacher - D - Snellgrove Cup

Gwen and Johnny Sargent - Family & Friends Piano Duet - D - Norman Richards Memorial Trophy

Angela Cheverall - Adult Amateur. Grades 6-8 - HC - Smale Amateur Trophy

Marjorie Smale - Senior Citizen - Any one piece written before 1900 - HC

Marjorie Smale - Senior Citizen - Any one piece written after 1900 - HC - Senior Citizens’ Trophy

Andrew McVittie - Adult Sonata Class - Open - HC - Bailey Cup (large)

Andrew McVittie - Adult Baroque - Open - HC - Fisher Cup

Christine Limb - Adult Romantic and Impressionist - Open - D - Mabel Floyd Trophy

Andrew McVittie - Adult Twentieth Century to the Present Day - D - Murdoch Cup

Ian Holden - Adult Amateur Recital - D - Margaret Newman Cup

Andrew McVittie - Adult Open Recital - HC - Edna Hartridge Cup

Gilly Slot - Sight reading Adult Open - D - Kenilworth Cup

Gilly Slot and Tim Morris - Sight reading Adult Duet for Fun - D

Marjorie Smale and Christine Limb - Scott Joplin Anniversary - D - L.F.Glanville Trophy

Marjorie Smale and Christine Limb - Prepared Accompaniment - D - Margaret Jewell Diamond Jubilee Prize for Accompanying

Annabel Nixon and Angela Cheverall - Adult Duet - Amateur - D - Bullin Cup

Lynda Smith and Ute Schwarting - Adult Duet- Open - D

Marjorie Smale and Miriam Sampson - Senior Citizen Duet - D - Senior Citizens’ Duet Trophy