A PIANIST from Guilden Sutton has won the first ever Chester Music Society Young Musician of the Year competition.
Selim Ungut, a pupil at Chester’s King’s School, played pieces by Liszt, Ravel and Debussy in the inaugural competition on Sunday.
Adjudicator Kelvin Leslie said: “This was a highly accomplished, stylish performance.”
Selim, who accompanies the Waverton Singers, studies piano with John Gough and in summer 2010 gained distinction in the ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) performance diploma.
Second prize in the instrumental section went to euphonium player Daniel Morgan with saxophonist Nicholas Bradley in third place.
First prize in the vocal section was won by soprano Heather Heighway, of Great Sutton, who gave a recital of songs including Purcell’s Not All My Torments and Menotti’s All that Gold, from Amahl and the Night Visitors.
Heather, 21, is in her third year studying under Anne Dawson at Birmingham Conservatoire. She has performed as a guest soloist with the City of Chester Male Voice Choir and Chester Ladies Choir.
Joint second prizes were awarded to Suzanne McGrath and Faye Anglesea.
Eighteen talented young musicians from Chester and district took part in the competition on Sunday, November 13 at the King’s School on Wrexham Road.
Organiser Lila Hallett, of Chester Music Society said: “It is so encouraging to see that young people are still making the effort to achieve great things in classical music”.
Music society chairman David Woods added: “The society is delighted with the way this first venture has been welcomed by the music community. We look forward to repeating the exercise next year.”
The winners will perform in Chester on February 29, 2012.
