Churchill Music Young Musician of the Year 2024 Finals!

Nine students competed for a variety of prizes, including the title of ‘Churchill Music Young Musician of the Year 2024’. 

In addition, singers competed for the Ursula Dornton Vocal Prize generously sponsored by The Trinity Singers in memory of Churchill Music’s co-founder, Ursula Dornton. There was also a Junior Trophy and an Audience Trophy voted for by the audience on the night.

Each student presented a short and varied programme of music, and overall we were enthralled by the high calibre of musicianship and variety of musical styles on show. It was a stunning treat for the audience and a challenge for the adjudicators to choose winners. 

Huge congratulations to all of the competitors for producing such a stunning concert. We’re pleased to announce that the winners were…

The Churchill Music Young Musician of the Year 2024 and the Audience Prize 

Winner: Keith Ng, Year 11

Piano 

Following Keith’s superbly nuanced performances of Frédéric Chopin’s ‘Nocturne No.1’ and the ‘Fantaisie-Impromptu’. His interpretation brought out the full range of contrasts and the whole presentation had the audience thoroughly involved right to the final notes.

 

The Ursula Dornton Vocal Prize 

Winner: Ella Phippen, Year 9, 

Ella beautifully crafted performances of Francesco Durante’s ‘Danza Danza’, Roger Quilter’s ‘Weep You No More’ and Frederick Loewe’s ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’. Ella delivered each of these contrasting pieces with great aplomb, demonstrating great versatility across such a diverse range of styles.

 

The Junior Trophy 

Winner: Lucas Granger, Year 11.

Guitar 

Lucas demonstrated great technical ability in his musically nuanced performances of Bart Howard’s ‘Fly Me to the Moon’, Jasper Smith’s ‘A Short Train Ride’ and Joe Satriani’s ‘Always With Me, Always With You’.

Following their successes, both Keith and Ella will now go on to compete in the Rotary District Final at Kings of Wessex Academy, Cheddar, on 3rd March, and possibly the National Final later in the year. We wish them the best of luck!

Final thanks to Jan Murray and Churchill Music for running the competition; to the expert panel of adjudicators: Dr. Jonathan James, Alison Blundell and Adrian Trapp for their insightful feedback to the competitors; Stuart Phippen and Jeff Spencer who accompanied so sensitively; and LSP’s CEO Gary Lewis for giving an inspiring speech and Governor Katie Isgrove for attending. 

“Last night was really good - such talented students that we have at the school and it was good to see them being supported by the local community! So many people that I spoke to commented about the high calibre of all of the entries and how impressed they were.” - Katie Isgrove

“I thoroughly enjoyed the music competition on Monday night.  It was a very warm-hearted and musically diverse programme.” - Gary Lewis