Churchill Young Musician Competition Celebrates Emerging Talent

On Wednesday evening, St John the Baptist Church was filled to capacity for the annual Churchill Young Musician Competition, an event that once again showcased the exceptional musical talent within the community. An enthusiastic audience was treated to a diverse and impressive programme of performances from Izzy (Year 12, Voice), Ned (Year 13, Piano), Molly (Year 10, Violin), Ella (Year 11, Voice), Luna (Year 10, Piano) and Jamie (Year 13, Tenor Horn). Each performer demonstrated remarkable musical maturity, technical assurance and expressive confidence.

A special highlight of the evening was the featured performance by Ash (Year 13), who delivered a moving rendition of If I Could Tell Her from Dear Evan Hansen to mark her award of the Raymond Hayter Song Prize. The competition also saw several other well-deserved awards presented: Izzy won the Ursula Dornton Vocal Trophy with a sparkling performance of I Could Have Danced All Night; Jamie captured the Audience Award thanks to his silky tone and engaging introduction; and Luna was crowned Churchill Young Musician of the Year following a commanding piano performance of works by Debussy and Chopin.

The distinguished panel of judges, Julian Forbes, Holly Greenwood-Rogers and Helena Torpy, were unanimous in their praise during the closing comments and provided the students with thoughtful, detailed feedback. Sincere thanks go to the Churchill Music team for creating such a valuable platform for young musicians, and to accompanists Stuart Phippen and Alison Blundell for their vital contribution on the night. 

Echoing Mr Hildrew’s closing remarks, all in attendance felt privileged to witness the meeting of outstanding young talent with such a rich range of historic music. Please join us in congratulating Izzy, Ned, Molly, Ella, Luna, Jamie and Ash on their superb achievements.