Wellington School Steinway Piano Competition

10 Dec 2015

30 talented young pianists from schools and colleges across the South West region came together at Wellington School Music School on Sunday 15th November to compete in Wellington School’s Steinway Piano Competition 2015.
The competition, an extension of Wellington’s accreditation as an All Steinway School, is now in its fourth year and it continues to grow each year. This year’s cohort was especially strong, with no fewer than 14 young pianists in the Advanced Class (G7+) alone.
The main classes took place during the morning and afternoon and three players from each were then selected to take part in the evening final. The adjudicators – Simon Young, Professor at Trinity College of Music, London and Tim Waller, Head of Instrumental Studies at Taunton School – gave supportive, encouraging feedback – and the benefit of their considerable experience as pianists and teachers – to the players throughout the day.
The selected finalists gave their all in the evening, stepping up their game in the bigger auditorium of Great Hall and playing their programmes on the Steinway flagship piano – the model D Grand. A wonderful feast of piano repertoire enthralled and enchanted the audience.
The three deserving winners were: Darcy Anderson (Foundation) and Marco Leong (Intermediate), both from Wellington School and, in the hotly contested Advanced Class, Valerie Tsoi (Advanced) from Sherborne Girls School, who performed a highly effective, well-chosen programme of Schubert’s Impromptu in Gb major and the 3rd movement of Ravel’s Sonatine.

‘It was a truly inspiring day, said Andrew Trewhella, Director of Music, the pianos in the Music School resounded all day to the wonderful sounds of talented young players, warming up and performing – just as it should be. It’s a joy to watch this competition continue to grow, year on year’.

Photo: Wellington School Steinway Piano Competition winners and judges
(L to R: Simon Young, Trinity College of Music London; Tim Waller, Head of Instrumental Studies, Taunton School; Valerie Tsoi (Advanced Class); Darcey Anderson (Foundation Class); Marco Leong (Intermediate Class).