Wellington School Pupils in Elite Music Competitions

14 Jan 2016

Two Wellington School pupils have gone through to the finals in prestigious music competitions.

Ella Leonard in Year 9 has got through to the final of the Taunton Young Musician of the Year Competition.  The category is for Year 10 upwards (14 to 19 year olds, and Ella is just 14). The First Round took place on Sunday 15th November at Taunton School. Entrants were judged by a experienced adjudicator, Richard Chester MBE.  Ella played 3 pieces on the oboe and was one of only five competitors to make it through to the final, which will be held in February.  The winner will have the opportunity to perform as a guest with the Taunton Sinfonietta at one of their annual concerts and will be invited to take part in the Rotary District 1200 Young Musician Competition. The Taunton Young Musician of the Year Competition, now in its 10th year, aims to assist and encourage musical excellence amongst students living in Somerset or within a 50 mile radius. Ella recently played with the prestigious Orchestra of The Swan at Stratford and also in Exeter Cathedral as part of the Two Moors Festival. Ella is a previous winner of the Taunton Junior Young Musician.

Vocalist Sarah Wynne, who is in Year 13, has gone through to the final of the Young Singer of the Year Competition.  Soprano Sarah sang 3 pieces in 3 languages in the first round and will compete in the final in February, when she will be in line for a prize of £300. This competition for young singers has been set up by the festival in response to the ever-growing number of entries in the Music Festival. It was also felt that singers should have their own competition and not be judged alongside their instrumental contemporaries as in past Taunton Young Musicians competitions. Finally with the launch of the Somerset Song Prize for singers aged between 18 and 26, the Festival is confident that it can provide suitable opportunities for singers at most stages of their development.

“This is a tremendous achievement for these pupils and we are delighted with their success” commented Wellington School’s Director of Music Andrew Trewhella.  “Ella was playing against pupils who were many years older than her from specialist music schools, such as Wells Cathedral School and Purcell, so she should be extremely proud to have got through to the final. Sarah is an extremely talented singer, who is hoping to go on to study voice in the future. Their success reflects the level of commitment to music throughout the School and the superb standard of teaching from all our music staff.”

 

Photo:  Ella Leonard – Young Musician