Talent on show at Musica Viva Manawatū concert

Pianist Jun Hee Cho, violinist Annie Srichantra and singer Joshua Webster.

Blistering Beethoven, rippling Ravel and melodramatic Mozart – a Showcase Concert featuring talented young local musicians from the Young Performers Scholarship programme on Monday night had it all.

The YPS programme and annual Showcase Concert were both organised by Musica Viva Manawatū, open to local musicians up to the age of 30 and designed to help nurture Manawatū musicians.

Held at the Evelyn Rawlins Room, Square Edge, each of the placegetters from the Competition Day held the previous Saturday performed one of their three programme pieces, to considerable audience appreciation and acclaim.

As well as their Competition Day performance, each candidate had already presented one piece at a monthly Musica Viva concert, helping them to gain stage confidence in front of a sympathetic audience.

After the prize winners had performed, Musica Viva’s vice-president Christine Archer-Lockwood welcomed John Freebairn, president of the Palmerston North Rotary Club, and thanked him for the club’s co-sponsorship of prizemoney.

Freebairn asked the audience “where were you transported to? – such was the power of the performances, a testament to the talent, commitment and work ethic of the winners.

He said he understood the support given to musicians from their teachers, family and friends, before presenting certificates and prizemoney with Archer-Lockwood and Liz Locke. who had organised the 2024 YPS programme.

The winners of the instrumental section were all violinists: First – Annie Srichantra; Second – Yu Shan Lee; Third – Angela Fang. Adjudicator was Anne Loeser.

“This was my first time competing and it was a wonderful experience,” Annie said.

The piano section winners were: First – Jun Hee Cho; Second – Tayla Ah-Chan; Third – Crystal Yuan: Highly Commended – Angela Fang. Adjudicator was Liam Gooding.

" I have entered the YPS competition for a number of years and it is very special to have gained first place,” Jun said.

The vocal section winners were: First – Joshua Webster; Second – Axis Simon; Third – Cate Redshaw: Highly Commended – Madeleine Krebs and Eilish Baxter.

“It’s been so exciting and so welcoming. YPS has nurtured my growth as a vocalist,” Joshua said.

Well-known tenor Patrick Power judged this section and said he was impressed with the contestants’ talent and commented on their foreign language diction.