An Evening of Concertos
An Evening of Concertos is, officially, a competition in which the winner is awarded the opportunity to perform a concerto with the Wells Cathedral School Symphony Orchestra. In reality, though, it has become one of the highlights of the musical year at Wells: a genuinely high quality concert in which six exceptional young musicians perform to an appreciative, warm, and deeply impressed audience.
Each performance brought something completely individual. Ricky L (Lower Sixth) produced tenderness and subtlety on the marimba, no straightforward task on an instrument so often associated primarily with rhythm and percussion colour. Lily S (Lower Sixth) found lyricism and shape on the tuba, revealing melodic beauty and character on an instrument not always thought of in that way. Julia S (Lower Sixth) brought sinuosity, elegance, and colour to French flute music, while Naghi S (Year 11)’s violin playing dazzled with virtuosity and brilliance. Desarie T (Year 11) combined virtuosity, style, panache, and authority on the double bass, and Ezra H (Year 11) brought structure, control, and drama to his piano concerto performance.
Our adjudicator, Armin Zanner from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, was generous in his praise, insightful in his observations, and encouraging in his comments to all six performers. Speaking afterwards, he described Wells as “a magical place”, praised the “six stunning young musicians” on stage, and remarked that “music is in very safe hands”. Reflecting on the extraordinary breadth of repertoire and instrumental combination on display throughout the evening, he asked: “Where else could you hear such a combination?” He also commented that Wells was “clearly doing the most extraordinary things.”
He awarded the prize to Desarie, citing in particular her connectivity with the audience, the music, and her instrument. In truth, though, every performer displayed that same ability to communicate and connect.
What emerged over the course of the evening was something far greater than a competition result. It was a stunning display of the quality, imagination, personality, and commitment that Wells musicians bring to their audiences.
Congratulations to all six performers for an unforgettable evening of music making. We look forward to hearing much more from these remarkable young musicians during their time at Wells and far beyond, and already to next year’s An Evening of Concertos.
Each performance brought something completely individual. Ricky L (Lower Sixth) produced tenderness and subtlety on the marimba, no straightforward task on an instrument so often associated primarily with rhythm and percussion colour. Lily S (Lower Sixth) found lyricism and shape on the tuba, revealing melodic beauty and character on an instrument not always thought of in that way. Julia S (Lower Sixth) brought sinuosity, elegance, and colour to French flute music, while Naghi S (Year 11)’s violin playing dazzled with virtuosity and brilliance. Desarie T (Year 11) combined virtuosity, style, panache, and authority on the double bass, and Ezra H (Year 11) brought structure, control, and drama to his piano concerto performance.
Our adjudicator, Armin Zanner from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, was generous in his praise, insightful in his observations, and encouraging in his comments to all six performers. Speaking afterwards, he described Wells as “a magical place”, praised the “six stunning young musicians” on stage, and remarked that “music is in very safe hands”. Reflecting on the extraordinary breadth of repertoire and instrumental combination on display throughout the evening, he asked: “Where else could you hear such a combination?” He also commented that Wells was “clearly doing the most extraordinary things.”
He awarded the prize to Desarie, citing in particular her connectivity with the audience, the music, and her instrument. In truth, though, every performer displayed that same ability to communicate and connect.
What emerged over the course of the evening was something far greater than a competition result. It was a stunning display of the quality, imagination, personality, and commitment that Wells musicians bring to their audiences.
Congratulations to all six performers for an unforgettable evening of music making. We look forward to hearing much more from these remarkable young musicians during their time at Wells and far beyond, and already to next year’s An Evening of Concertos.
To find out more about Specialist Music at Wells, click here.
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Download the FREE Wells Cathedral School app to easily keep up with the parts of Wells that interest you, interact with our social media feeds, access useful links more! We highly recommend enabling notifications to stay informed about the many wonderful things happening at our School.
