Kimmy launches contest
TEENAGE talent Kimmy Kwok launched the 2023 Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year contest with an exquisite performance at Pittville Pump Room.
The 16-year-old Cheltenham College student captivated her audience of fellow students, teachers, sponsors and all age groups with her rendition of Bruch’s Violin Concerto in G Minor with Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra under Glyn Oxley’s baton.
Kimmy, who passed her music diploma (LTCL) at the age of 14, was born in Hong Kong where she gained a string of awards before winning Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year as its youngest entrant in 2022. Her proud uncle flew over specially from Hong Kong to hear her play.
She is encouraging all young musicians to enter the 2023 contest, which is open to piano, string, woodwind, orchestral percussion, and brass musicians, under the age of 22 years on or before March 1, 2023, of at least Grade 8 standard, who live in or go to school in the county or receive musical tuition in a recognised musical organisation in Gloucestershire. Entries close at midnight on Sunday, December 11, 2022.
The winner will receive the Hewittjones Trophy, a cheque for £500 and the opportunity to play a recital at Cheltenham Music Festival and perform with Gloucestershire Symphony and Gloucestershire Youth Orchestras.
There is also an audience prize of £200 with the opportunity to play at the Carducci Festival, sponsored by the Carducci Trust. Runners-up receive cheques for £50.
Auditions take place on Sunday, January 8, 2023 at Gloucestershire Academy of Music’s Gloucester headquarters at Barbican House and the Finalists’ Concert is being staged at Pittville Pump Room on Sunday, March 5, at 3pm.
The sponsors that have made this contest possible include Gloucestershire Academy of Music, The Brimpsfield Music Society, The Summerfield Charitable Trust, Make Music Gloucestershire, the Carducci Trust and Ann Heron, mother of 2016 winner Adam. For more about the contest, visit gloucestershire symphony.org.uk or call Viv Hargreaves on 07740 448262.