TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT MUSIC SOCIETY AWARDS EVENING

A leading Chester Music Society has held an awards evening and concert featuring talented young musicians following its Young Musician of the Year Competition.

Continuing its mission to showcase the very best of local classical musical talent, Chester Music Society's prestigious annual competition took place at Abbey Gate College in November last year.  Following on from the competition, the winners and runners up were invited by the Society to receive their prizes and take part in a special concert at St Mary's Creative Space in Chester recently.

This year, the newly re-named David Woods Trophy was presented in memory of the late David Woods, the driving force behind the Chester Young Musician Competition since 2011. When Mr. Woods had to stand down due to ill health, the winner's award was renamed in his honour. Sadly, Mr. Woods passed away in October last year and so the competition for 2024 was dedicated to his memory. Prizes and trophies were presented to the talented youngsters by Yvonne Coleby-Davies. 

Award winners included Melicia Huang, harp, (Class 1, up to age 12), Harmony Zhang, piano, (Class 2, age 13-15), Rory Winn, trombone, Thea Ormrod, trumpet (Class 3 age 16-18), Yurij Szyrokyj, piano and Daniel Goharriz, clarinet. The winner of each class was awarded a prize of £100. The overall winner Yurij Szyrokyj, was crowned Chester Young Musician of the Year and received an additional prize of £250. 

The Society also presented a new award this year, in honour of the late Lila Hallett. Mrs. Hallett, who sadly passed away in 2018, was a key member of CMS for over 30 years. She was instrumental in proposing the Young Musician of Chester competition and, as accompanist and supporter, in helping to establish the Chester Music Society Youth Choir in 1988. She devoted her life to participating in and involving others, especially young people, in music. The trophy was given in her memory by her daughters Jane and Claire. Claire now organises the Chester Young Musician of the Year competition for the Society. Awarded to the most promising runner up from Classes 1 and 2, the trophy was presented to James Ashcroft, electric guitar.

The Society was also delighted to award bursaries of £500 to two outstanding competitors who have the potential to become full-time musicians. The aim of the bursaries is to help recipients to further their musical ambitions. This year, they were awarded to Yurij Szyrokyj, piano and Rory Winn, trombone.

Chester Music Society stages a full season of concerts featuring both international artists and local performers.

Full details of all upcoming concerts and events can be found at: 

www.chestermusicsociety.org.uk 

...where tickets can be booked online.

Pictured - (from L to R); Thea Ormrod, trumpet, runner up class 2, Rory Winn, trombone, winner, class 2. Yurij Szyrokyj, piano, winner class 3 and Chester Young Musician 2024, James Ashcroft, electric guitar, winner of the Lilla Hallet Award, and Melicia Huang, harp, winner class 1. (photo credit: Chester Music Society).