Talented young musicians impress at Portsmouth Music Festival

The Portsmouth area can be proud of its many young musicians who have come together to take part in the annual Portsmouth Music Festival in recent weeks.
Youngsters who took part in the festivals piano competitionYoungsters who took part in the festivals piano competition
Youngsters who took part in the festivals piano competition

Once again, pianists came to Oaklands School, Waterlooville to show their talents.

Some as young as five and six played little pieces after only a few months of lessons, while others in their early teens performed technically demanding music with considerable musical appreciation and understanding.

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Adjudicator Kathryn Page was amazed at the high standard at all levels and was able to give advice on how to give performances even more shape and style. The Clifford Benson Trophy, a special award for outstanding performance and communication, was presented to Thomas Luke, 12, from the Isle of Wight who showed considerable promise in his playing of Chopin pieces as well as jazz and blues. Fourteen-year-old Emily Riley received the Zurich Insurance Trophy for an accomplished performance of a Prokofiev Sonata, whilst Yi ran Mar, 11, was given the Margaret Jewell prize as the most promising young pianist having performed music by Mozart, Chopin and Beethoven.

OUTSTANDING Thomas LukeOUTSTANDING Thomas Luke
OUTSTANDING Thomas Luke

Adults too gave performances of music from Bach to Beethoven, and from Schumann to Gershwin to a very appreciative audience.

Huba Csermely - Classical Grades 2-3 - D - Rosalinda Cup

Hanna Csermely - Classical Grades 4-5 - D - Kingston Cup

Louie Wu - Baroque 9 years & under - D - Festival Executive Golden Jubilee Trophy

TALENTED Emily RileyTALENTED Emily Riley
TALENTED Emily Riley

Thomas Luke - Baroque 10-12 years - HC - Gordon Rose Trophy, Swing, Jazz & Blues 12-13 years - D - Bert Blackhurst Trophy, Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grades 6-7 - HC - Thomas Beaton Cup

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

Beth Saunders - Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grades 2-3 - D - Bobby Munroe Challenge Cup

Sophie Wu & Ling Drover - Duet Class 10-12 years - D - Elsie & Walter Crowther Cup

Kaya Davey-SmithKaya Davey-Smith
Kaya Davey-Smith

Mia Lam - Classical Grades 6-7 - M

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

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Gilly Slot - Adult Baroque - Open - HC - Fisher Cup, Adult Romantic and Impressionist - Open - D - Mabel Floyd Trophy

Ian Holden - Adult Amateur. Grades 6-8 - D - Smale Amateur Trophy

HONOURS Six-year-old Monty JohnsonHONOURS Six-year-old Monty Johnson
HONOURS Six-year-old Monty Johnson

Christine Limb - Adult Twentieth Century to the Present Day - D - Murdoch Cup

John Fryer - Adult Sonata Class - Open - P

Marjorie Smale & Betty Mitcham - Senior Citizen Duet - HC

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Chris Coote & Helen Phillips - Adult Duet- Open - D - Bullin Cup

Ting Xuan Yu - Novice 7 years & under - D - Carol Cup

Holly Child - Novice 8-9 years - HC - Crystal Malcolm Memorial Trophy

OUTSTANDING Thomas LukeOUTSTANDING Thomas Luke
OUTSTANDING Thomas Luke

Huba Csermely - Novice 10-12 years - Hons - Susan Cup

Ting Xuan Yu - Classical - Grade 1 - D - Dorothy Barnes Cup No.1, Sight Reading Grades 1-2 free if entering ONE other class - D - National Association of Accordianists Cup

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

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Ting Xuan Yu - Twentieth century to the Present Day Pre-grade - D - Bailey Cup (small)

Bailey Lam - Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grade 1 - D - Catisfield Cup

Trinity Ward - Duet Class 9 years and under with adult or teacher - D - Margaret Ryan Cup

Ling & Miko Drover - Duet Class 10-12 years and under with adult or teacher - D - Joynson Cup

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Gwen & Johnny Sargent - Family & Friends Piano Duet - HC - Dot King Trophy

Chloe Lam - Baroque 13-15 years - HC - Norman Richards Memorial Trophy

Yi ran Ma - Sonata and Sonatina Classes 11-13 years - D - Hambledon Cup

David Chen - Sight Reading Grades 6-8 - HC - Margaret Jewell Cup

David Chen - Etude Class Grade 8+ - HC - EPTA Cup

Finn Carter - Romantic 16-18 years - M

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Marjorie Smale - Adult Swing, Jazz & Blues - D - L.F.Glanville Trophy

Louise Walters - Adult Amateur Recital - HC - Margaret Newman Cup

Marjorie Smale - Sight reading Adult Open - HC - Kenilworth Cup

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

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Christopher Coote & Lilias Lamont - Adult Ensemble Class - Open - D - Margaret Jewell Diamond Jubilee Prize for Accompanying

Tim Morris - Adult Open Recital - D - Edna Hartridge Cup

Ting Xuan Yu - Swing, Jazz & Blues 7 years & under - D - Snellgrove Cup

Arrela Dominguez - Swing, Jazz & Blues 8-9 years - D - Secretary’s Cup

Huba Csermely - Swing, Jazz & Blues 10-11 years - D - Elizabeth Hackney Cup

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James Adie - Piano Plus 18 years and under - D - Philip Reder Trophy

Yi ran Ma - Romantic 10-12 years - D - Eleanor Fernbank Cup

Hanna Csermely - Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grades 4-5 - D - Annette Dollery Cup

Ameera Valencia - Swing, Jazz & Blues 14-15 years - HC - Smale Swing Trophy

Joshua Flores - Swing, Jazz & Blues 16-18 years - HC - Mauger Memorial Trophy

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Chloe Kendall - JAZZ - from the ABRSM Jazz Piano Syllabus Grades 3-4 - HC -

Levin Shum - Recital Class Grades 3-5 - HC - Margaret Roberts Cup

Thomas Luke - Recital Class Grades 6-7 - HC - Warfield Cup

David Chen - Recital Class Grades 8-8+ - HC - Joan Swift Piano Trophy

Sophie Liu - Classical Grades 8-8+ - M

Emily Riley - Twentieth Century to the Present Day Grades 8-8+ - D - Festival Silver Jubilee Cup

Sophie Liu - Baroque 16-18 years - M

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

Thomas Luke - Outstanding Junior - was awarded - Clifford Benson Cup

Emily Riley - best performance - was awarded - Zurich Insurance P

Yi ran Ma - Most promising - was awarded - Margaret Jewell Memorial Trophy

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Zosia Pilsworth - Performed well but did not achieve a first place - was awarded - Ian Cup

SOLOIST MONTY WINS HONOURS

Although several players were awarded the distinction category at the brass section of this year’s festival, the only soloist to be given honours was six-year-old Monty Johnson. So short that his feet dangled above the floor, Monty wowed his audience and adjudicator, Paul Archibald, with his confident playing.

Mr Archibald was enormously impressed with the standard of music he heard over the weekend and praised the skill and commitment of all the players and the dedication and encouragement of their teachers.

Despite low entry numbers, the bands day the following day, was enjoyed by everyone. A wide variety of pieces were played and both HCSC and HCSC2 awarded honours for their performances.

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Meanwhile, the dance section ran for seven days at Park Community School. There were a number of local dance schools but also some from farther afield, such as Surrey, Sussex and Dorset. Adjudicator Karen Collings commented on how high the standard of dance was in this area in the south. The section is run by Wendy and Naomi Lane, as well as a number of enthusiastic helpers.

Monty Johnson - Novice Solo 8 years and under - Hons - Cieran Novice Cup

Kristian Schafer - Grades 1-2 Solo classical music from any period - HC - Harbour Veterinary Group Cup, Grades 1-2 Solo popular music of any genre - HC - Fernhill Cup

Rose-Marie Moncrieffe - Grades 1-2 Solo slow melody - D - Biscoes Solicitors Cup

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Edmund Harry - Grades 3-4 Solo classical music from any period - D - Young Brass Players Cup

Dominic Harry - Grades 3-4 Solo popular music of any genre - D - Crawford Cup

Erik Hillman - Grades 5-6 Solo music from any period - HC - Albert Brown Memorial Cup, Grades 5-6 Solo unaccompanied - HC - Chapman Cup

Lucy Tapper - Grades 5-6 Solo popular music of any genre - HC - Eric Roberts Cup, Examination Music Solo grades 5-6 - HC - Silver Jubilee Shield No.2

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Elliot Chub - Grades 7-8 Solo classical music from any period - HC - Adam Pinkney Cup

Verity Flood - Grades 7-8 Solo popular music of any genre - D - Da Cunha Cup, Grades 7-8 Solo slow melody - D - Thelma Ruff Family Cup

Henry Jones - Examination Music Solo grade 1-2 - HC - Easton Cup

Henry Showell - Examination Music Solo grades 3-4 - HC - Isabel Roberts Cup

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James Odie - Examination Music Solo grade 7-8 - D - Roberts Cup

Hebe Parrott - Mixed Bag Solo grades 3-4 - D - Garry Skeemer Cup

Dominic Chew - Recital - 14yrs and under HC - Bach Tropy

Verity Flood - Recital - 16yrs and under - D - Wykeham Cup

Sarah McClelland - Recital open - HC - Adult Brass Cup

Dominic Chew - Concerto 14yrs and under - HC - Isobel Johnston Memorial Trophy

Ted Riley - Concerto open - HC - Solent Youth Concert Band Trophy No.2

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Erik Hillman, Dominic Chew - Duets 14yrs and under - M - Contrast Cup

Rose-Marie Moncrieffe - Pupil and Teacher (adult) Duet 10yrs and under - HC - 12 & Under Cup

The Chapple boys - Small Ensembles 14yrs and under - D - Kevin Moore Quartet Cup

St John’s College Brass Ensemble Small Ensembles - 16yrs and under - HC - Cheriton Music Cup

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Owen Russell, H Swift, S Ottley, M Elson - Small Ensembles 18yrs and under - D - Treasurer’s Cup

J Armitage, R Ford, O Parker, T Riley - Small Ensembles mixed ages - D - Silver Jubilee Shield No.1

Denmead Training Band - Brass Bands mixed ages - D - Royal Marines Trophy

Portsmouth Wind Band - Wind Bands youth bands - D - Solent Youth Band Trophy No.1

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Horndean Band - Wind Bands mixed ages - D - Southsea Junior Band Trophy

HCSC2 - Other Wind-based Ensembles youth bands - Hons - Churchers Solicitor’s Cup

Havant Clarinet and Saxophone Choir - Other Wind-based Ensembles mixed ages - Hons - Portsmouth City Junior Band Trophy

The ISM Award was awarded to Verity Flood for the best communicated performance for ages 13 to 18 years

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The Woods Trophy was awarded to Rose-Marie Moncrieffe for the most promising performance for ages 12 and under

The Denegri Cup was awarded to HCSC2 Ensemble for the most inspiring performance

The Maurice Andre Cup was awarded to Matthew Chapple for the best tone in the Brass section