ninamargaret Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Always interested in this in spite of the poor coverage it now receives from the BBC. Last night in a programmer lasting an hour and a half we just had 45 minutes of music. We got an awful lot of chat but rarely an entire piece of music. I suppose the BBC doesn't think that any of their audience is interested enough to listen to anything lasting longer than a few minutes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 BBC Young Musician has started?! Oh dear, I've just looked at my old TV listings mag and realised I was looking at Thursday when I checked it yesterday! Oops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 7 minutes ago, alison said: BBC Young Musician has started?! Oh dear, I've just looked at my old TV listings mag and realised I was looking at Thursday when I checked it yesterday! Oops. Next round not until Friday -think the Beeb doesn't want to spoil us by having them on too close together! Its a real case of dumbing down. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I would just add that Radio 3 is broadcasting the full recitals 4:30pm Mondays to Fridays (I assume each week for the next few weeks) and the programmes are available on line if you want to see as well as listen, as was mentioned a couple of times in the highlights BBC4 programme last night. I agree it's not the coverage it used to be but performances can at least be accessed. I'll certainly be interested to hear the whole recital of some of last night's musicians. It was also good to see the 40th year anniversary programme the other day - a celebration of so many talented musicians. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowblythe Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Waiting to hear the brass with bated breath - my daughter is going to the same institution as one of the finalists on the same instrument. And auditioned at the same time as the other on the same instrument. Had to be talked into actually completing that audition (I wasn't allowed to go to any of the auditions, all I do is fret and make her nervous), she felt she was not in the same league as them and was all for leaving half way through(but yes, she was offered a place). She is really very nervous about actually playing with them every day, still feels she is not worthy. I felt going through that round of auditions I got a real insight into what it's like to have a DD rather than DS. So much competition (up to a week of auditions for approx 4 places), so many good people missing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 5 hours ago, JohnS said: I would just add that Radio 3 is broadcasting the full recitals 4:30pm Mondays to Fridays (I assume each week for the next few weeks) and the programmes are available on line if you want to see as well as listen, as was mentioned a couple of times in the highlights BBC4 programme last night. I agree it's not the coverage it used to be but performances can at least be accessed. I'll certainly be interested to hear the whole recital of some of last night's musicians. Thank you JohnS for this. My problem is,technological - the internet on my tv won't download Flash player which the BBC storyteller me I need. And listening to music through either my PC or my tablet is akin to torture! So I'm slightly stuck. I did think the finalists last night were of a very high quality - the final should be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Thanks ninamargaret and I'm sorry to hear of your difficulties accessing the broadcasts. I have just watched the recitals via the BBC Young Musician website. Sadly some technical glitches in the recording with music and vision out of synch in one piece and, much worse, double sound on the lovely Clara Schuman violin piece - completely ruined. I checked on the Radio 3 iPlayer and the sound was fine. I think the Radio 3 broadcasts are probably better and with 30 minutes there's time for the whole recital and some interviews. I certainly enjoyed the strings final but have to say my vote would have gone to Stephanie Childress (violin) who I thought gave a tremendous performance. I was also impressed with Torrin Williams (guitar). I thought the comments from the experts telling about intonation and not playing the notes actually written for Maxim Calver (cello) and so was a bit surprised when he won. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 Agree about Stephanie Childress - I enjoyed her performance this year and also in the previous competition. But I wonder if her talent may be for conducting?.And although guitar music doesn't do much for me I thought the guitarist was excellent. Interesting to see the winners in the other categories. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynette H Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 The BBC web site is here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00bb3wt This should have links to all the programmes as available on iplayer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 An astonishing performance in the percussion final by Matthew Brett: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0643458 The percussion highlights programme is also well worth seeing, with interesting background on the competitors and music, including the composer Jan Bradley for Matthew Brett's last piece, given its world premiere in the final. The link is for Matthew's whole performance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowblythe Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Different - but related question. Seems to me a lot more people are getting through to the finals more than once than I remember. I liked the idea that it was a "one shot only" type competition. Of course it probably never was, I'm sure loads applied but didn't get to the televised stage before. Having said that, it was a masterful performance, what an inspirational teacher. Really knew how to present the piece and the performer. Interesting that Tom Hall was also obviously filmed at RNCM but they didn't identify him as a student . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 27, 2018 Share Posted April 27, 2018 Just caught up on the woodwind final - very difficult decision I'd have thought with consistently strong performances across the board. For my part I thought the recorder playing of Eliza Haskins in her final piece was the highlight - how good to hear contemporary music composed for recorders (plural) and just astonishing for her to play two recorders at the same time. The youngest competitor this year but incredibly assured. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 Saw the brass final and very impressed - I very much enjoyed Isobel Daws winning performance but was also very taken with Will Thomas (trumpet/flugelhorn) and a mesmerising solo french horn piece by Richard Bussell from Annemarie Federle - principal horn with the National Youth Orchestra. On 07/04/2018 at 19:52, meadowblythe said: Waiting to hear the brass with bated breath - my daughter is going to the same institution as one of the finalists on the same instrument. I was wondering if you might be able to say a little more now meadowblythe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowblythe Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 I felt Isobel's was the most polished performance - at no time did I feel that technical demands of the programme overtook her musicality. I think there were a few split notes from Will - occupational hazard for trumpeters - and from the comments I wonder if the rest of the first piece held some challenges we didn't hear. Apparently he played a fourth piece which was outstanding. Chethams are obviously past masters at preparing their students for this competition. I guess the Saturday students may have less performance opportunities, and lesson time, than the vocational school pupils. I wonder too, whether the competition is such a priority for the senior staff at full time Conservatoire. Added to this, the students have obviously just started with a new teacher and a new environment, a challenge in itself. My money is still on the percussionist to win overall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Is the final this Friday? I hope so! Am going to Leicester to stay with a friend who is a music teacher so we can watch it live together ( with no moans from anybody else....great!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Caught up on the piano finals - a very impressive set of performances and I was pleased to see Lauren Zhang chosen as winner. I think she and Matthew Brett (percussion) are my favourites based on the category finals. Semi finals on Friday and Final on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Wonderful talented young musicians. It was good to hear some different rep from thr young pianists. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 slightly disappointed at the choice of finalists, and sorry the percussionist didn't make it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 I agree with ninamargaret - very sorry that Matt Brett wasn't selected and I have to say rather surprised. On the basis of the performances to date, I'd have thought if Lauren Zhang delivers as she has been doing, she'll be a very strong contender. Good luck to all for tonight's final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Echoed. A performance that grabbed and held the attention although, of course,live and recorded performances can sound very different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 I hadn't managed to catch up on all the individual finals before tonight's final started, but I have to say I was blown away by Lauren Zhang's performance - as were quite a lot of other people, it appears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Well done to Ms Zhang - though my preference would have been for either of the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 29 minutes ago, Ian Macmillan said: Well done to Ms Zhang - though my preference would have been for either of the others. she's certainly a very efficient performer, but I find Prokofiev not the best choice of composer for a competition, where to my mind you want to be able to judge qualities like lyricism, phrasing etc. Maybe a different choice of music would have convinced me more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Perhaps should have tried Prokofiev 3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Well deserved win for Zhang - she is a prodigy. Having read about the Prokoviev I understand it is regarded as one of the most challenging pieces in the rep and not everyone even attempts it. For a 16 year old she showed remarkable maturity and presence. i think the cellist would have been in with a chance though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 I've just got round to listening to the final and found the result very hard to call, although my inclination was towards the saxophonist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 Just caught up on the Final and, although I knew the result, was still delighted to see the announcements etc. Lauren Zhang is phenomenally talented and I found her performance astonishing. Absolutely assured, fully committed to the demands placed on her, a great Young Musician winner. I look forward immensely to following her career. I was very pleased to see the award made to Eliza Haskins (recorder). I was hoping that Annemarie Federle (French horn) might also receive an award when I heard two were to be made. The other highlight in a remarkable competition over the last few weeks was Matthew Brett (percussion) - a shame he wasn't in the final. Finally good to hear Sheku Kanneh-Mason play the Elgar cello concerto last movement - and how wonderful it is to enjoy his blossoming musical development. Young Musician really does enrich our musical culture so many thanks to Humphrey Burton and all involved. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now