The nation’s finest young talent came together on Sunday 25 May at Glasgow’s Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where 33 top musicians, representing each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, competed in the fourth prestigious Solo Performer of the Year National Final.
The event was brilliantly hosted by Ian Mills, Chair of Music Education Partnership Group (MPEG). Ian has a lifelong commitment to education and a deep-rooted passion for music. Ian brought warmth, insight and enthusiasm to the role.
The fourth annual Solo Performer of the Year competition showcased breath taking performances from Scotland’s finest young musicians, captivating an audience of hundreds at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
17-year-old Inver Shand, a pupil at Dunfermline High School, started accordion lessons at the age of 6 under the guidance of top tutor Keith Dickson. He blew the judges away with his rendition of ‘Carnevale’ with its fun and fiddly jazz rhythms, Latin influences, fast finger-work and his masterful tackling of runs and trills that truly evoked that carnival party feel. This contrasted perfectly with his beautiful take on the much-loved Scottish piece ‘Loch Katrine’s Lady’, with Inver’s fantastic command of dynamics and subtle nuances, to showcasing his serious skill through the intricacies in the melody singing out over the long-sustained notes. An impassioned performance that really painted a picture and had the audience engrossed right up until the final perfect cadence, earning him the title of this prestigious competition.
Inver Shand receives £1,000 to further his musical career and the Maid of Morven trophy crafted by Alexander Stoddart FRSE, the King’s Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland. As part of his prize package from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he will benefit from a professional coaching session, the opportunity to participate in a masterclass, and a studio recording session to help develop his performance skills.
Runners-up James Rippiner representing Aberdeenshire region captivated the audience with his virtuosic violin performance, opening with the moving and haunting ‘Nocturne’ where he mastered difficult runs effortlessly, before finishing with a playful plucking-infused jazzy flourish with the Gershwin, while Aeronwy Gault representing East Dunbartonshire region delivered a stunning expressive performance on the piano with huge command of dynamics and control of the changing tempo, evoking the sheer delicacy and dramatic climaxes of Debussy. Both outstanding musicians will receive £250 towards their musical development, along with exclusive opportunities including a professional coaching session and masterclass placement at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
The audience was treated to a full array of instruments, from marimbas to fiddles and clarsachs, and tenor trombones to accordions and clarinets, creating a rich and diverse musical programme. Each performance showcased the unique qualities of these instruments and voices, charming the audience with their harmonious blend. Continuing the tradition, the winners of each specialist category were announced live during the final ceremony. This year’s category winners were; James Rippiner from Aberdeenshire for strings, Craig McGroarty from Glasgow for woodwind, Jack Traynor representing Independent Schools for brass, Gregor Chalmers from East Ayrshire for percussion, Aeronwy Gault from East Dunbartonshire for piano, and Rose Murray from South Lanarkshire for vocals. They will each receive career-enhancing opportunities generously provided by the UK’s leading music organisations, supporting their development as emerging musical talents.
The esteemed judging panel was chaired by leading arts consultant and former director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra Paul Hughes. He was joined by a distinguished panel of adjudicators – renowned trumpeter John Wallace CBE, former Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. soprano Jane Irwin, award-winning violinist Laura Ayoub and flautist Katherine Bryan. Faced with exceptional performances across diverse instruments – from saxophone, clarsach and accordion to guitar, pipes and trumpet – the judges undertook the challenging task of selecting the category winners and the overall winner and two runners up from this outstanding showcase of young talent.
The grand finale featured spectacular performances by this year’s award-winning ensembles: the Campbeltown Brass Senior Ensemble from Argyll and Bute, honoured as Brass Ensemble of the Year, and the Perth & Kinross Percussion Ensemble, crowned Ensemble of the Year. Their electrifying and energetic performances provided a fitting conclusion to an unforgettable celebration of Scotland’s young musical talent.
Alan Kerr, Chair of Scottish Young Musicians said:
“Today marks an important milestone in Scottish Young Musicians history. From a standing start only four years ago, SYM has grown at a remarkable speed, and for the first time will have a talented finalist from all of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas performing in the Solo Final. This represents the finale of an incredible year which saw our Festival of Music Competitions being offered to every secondary school. The brass and open ensemble competition have come of age to have their very own electrifying live final. Overall, hundreds of individual events included thousands of students from all backgrounds and levels of ability, making SYM the largest music education charity in the country. I am extremely grateful to the team that made this possible, and we are all energised to start again next year with the ambition to grow SYM even more, bringing opportunities and experiences to young people everywhere in Scotland.”
