Two Upper School music scholars who have recently given high profile concert performances at Oakham have achieved individual competitive successes on Sunday 19 November.
Form 6 music scholar Evie was an outstanding soprano soloist in Haydn’s oratorio The Creation with the Oakham and Rutland Choral Societies on Saturday 18 November, performing admirably in the School Chapel alongside two professional soloists and a professional orchestra. The following morning, she headed to Nottingham University for the first round of the Nottingham Young Singer of Year competition. Evie impressed the adjudicators in the class for pupils in Years 12 & 13, being chosen as one of only three singers to progress to the finals of the competition. Her sparkling singing of Mozart’s ‘Alleluia’ from the motet ‘Exsultate jubilate’ and beautiful French in the Hahm mélodie ‘Si mes versavaient des ailes’ were particularly praised.
Following swiftly on from this, Form 7 music scholar Joshua returned to Nottingham for the semi-finals of the Nottingham Young Musician of the Year instrumental competition, following on from his success winning the senior brass category of the competition back in October. Having given an exceptional performance of Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1 in the School Chapel on Friday 10 November, his semi-final programme included the work’s second movement alongside works by Alan Abbott and our Director of Music, Peter Davis. Joshua impressed specialist brass adjudicator, Mike Lovatt, who praised his “great chops” in his varied programme, and he was awarded the overall title as Nottingham Young Brass Player of the Year.
Both Evie and Joshua will perform again in their respective finals on Sunday 21 January 2024 at the Djanogly Recital Hall at the University of Nottingham. Many congratulations to them both!
