NATION YOUTH MUSIC COMPETITION
WITH days to go before the weekend’s 2018 National Youth Music Competition (NYMC), excitement is building as contestants arrive in Cape Town.
Some will do informal rehearsals at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in Parow before the competition kicks off today.
The finalists will feature at a gala concert on Saturday evening.
Guest artist for the gala concert is 22-year-old Sakhile Humbane, who won the gold medal and first prize in the competition, in 2015. Humbane will perform the Hungarian Pastorale Fantasy by AF Doppler in the finale, with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
Originally from KwaMashu near Durban, Humbane now resides in Rondebosch and studies music at UCT.
“I am very excited to be returning to the platform from which I have learned so much. More so this time, as I will be there to present the music, without the added pressure of competing,” he said.
“Each time I learned something new. So, I hope that this year’s 19 contestants can take something away from the experience, regardless of results,” he said.
The competition, presented by the National Youth Music Foundation (NYMF), was started 34 years ago in Port Elizabeth by Michael Maas, founder and chairman of the foundation.
This year’s edition of the NYMC starts today and ends on Saturday. Entrance is free to the first three rounds, from today until Thursday.
The top six competitors go into battle at the gala concert where they play with the CPO.
The competition, with prizes worth more than R145 000, offers South Africa’s rising classical stars the opportunity to hone their skills for the professional stage. Saturday’s gala starts at 7pm. Tickets cost R120. Pensioners, students and learners pay R90. Bookings can be made at Computicket 0861 915 8000, Shoprite and Checkers outlets, or online at www.computicket. com