City music festival ends on high note

MUSICIANS from all over the world descended upon Townsville for the prestigious, five- day, Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition.

Artists from Moscow, Poland, New Zealand, South Korea and around Australia took to the stage competing in vocal, instrumental and school age sections. The competition wrapped up on Tuesday night with pianist Arthur James Athan, from Melbourne, taking out the top gong.

Competition director Carol Dall’Osto said this year’s competition concluded on “a very high note”.

“The three works performed in the concert included the astonishing 16year- old violinist Josephine Chung, who performed the Violin Concerto in A minor by Dmitri Shostakovich,” Ms Dall’Osto said.

“The eventual winner was the pianist Arthur James Athan, with Josephine Chung placed second and Jo Dee Yeoh ( pictured) placed third, with Arthur also winning the Audience Choice Award.”

Ms Dall’Osto said 11- year- old musical prodigy Benett Tsai, from Sydney, won three awards.

“( He) entered all three instrumental sections, winning the Young Performers Section, placing second in the Piano and Instrumental Section and then performed the Cello Concerto in the preliminary Stage of the Open Instrumental Section.

“We look forward to hearing more of this young man in the future.”