The John Lill Awardsfor the

ESSEX YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR37th COMPETITION

First RoundSunday 6th June 2021 • 3:00pm

Patrons and Sponsors – in addition to those mentioned above, Ongar Music Club gratefully acknowledges the generous sponsorship of several anonymous donations. Without the sponsorship received, it would be impossible to stage this annual competition.

INTRODUCTION

Ongar Music Club

Polite Notice – this online performance may not legally be downloaded or copied in any way. Please respect the rights of the performers, composers and music publishers.

Ongar Music Club was founded in 1975 in the small market town of Ongar in Essex by a group of local music-enthusiasts. In addition to presenting this renowned competition since 1984, the club continues to present concerts, and in 2019 launched a series of lunchtime concerts called ‘Soundbites!’ With the restrictions of the covid pandemic, the club adapted their programming and moved their concerts online. The result was ‘Live Lounge’ – a season of concerts exclusively online, not only for members and friends of Ongar Music Club, but also as a community outreach programme for care homes in the UK, bringing music into the homes of those who were isolated due to covid restrictions.

Many famous artists have performed in concert and given musical talks for the club over the years. These include Lord Yehudi Menuhin OM, KBE, John Lill CBE, Dame Janet Baker, Dame Eva Turner, Sir Peter Pears, Stephen Kovacevich, Denis Matthews, Steven Isserlis, Richard Baker, Fritz Spiegl, Benjamin Grosvenor and The Fairer Sax. Ongar Music Club was also instrumental in the formation of Ongar Jazz Club. It is this diversity of activity which has ensured the club’s ongoing success.

The Essex Young Musician of the Year competition was established in 1984 through the enthusiasm of key members of Ongar Music Club. It aims to support and encourage young Essex musicians of talent and potential, who will enjoy competing and performing in a welcoming and pleasant environment. Past prizewinners have gone on to enjoy successful professional careers. John Lill CBE, the distinguished Essex-born pianist and Ongar Music Club president, has generously supported the competition since its inception and has consented to the awards being in his name. The winner will receive £1,000 (the John Lill Award), the Essex Young Musician of the Year Cup and the offer of a recital for Ongar Music Club. They will also be offered a recital by the Roman River Festival and an engagement with the Great Dunmow Town Band. The candidate in second place will be presented with a prize of £400 together with the Hall Memorial Prize and Cup (given in memory of Jean and Barrie Hall (long-term members of Ongar Music Club). The Waitrose Prize of £300 and a medal will be awarded to the candidate in third place. The Ongar Round Table Prize of £200 and the Ongar Round Table Medal will be presented to the candidate in fourth place. The Arts Society West Essex Prize of £100 and a medal will be awarded to the 5th prize winner. The Ongar Music Club Prize of £75 and a medal will be awarded to the finalist in sixth place. Two prizes of £100 and medals are awarded to the two candidates under-19, not already prizewinners in the current competition, who have given the most outstanding performances in their age group. These are the Geoffrey Timms Memorial Prize of £100 (Geoffrey Timms was founder of the competition) and the Bert Webster Memorial Prize (donated by Peggy Webster), this being awarded as £100-worth of Chimes tokens. Those eligible are: Florence Cope, Finnian Smith, Nell Ramdenee, Mariella Jasper, Elizabeth Loboda, Justin Man, Vivien Wong, Franky Slater and Sunny Duan.The Final of the competition will take place at 3:00pm on 4th July, details tbc.

President: John Lill CBE

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Past Winners of the Essex Young Musician of the YearAnthony Marwood violin, Alison Baker piano, Jane Webster soprano, Pauline Dowse cello, Helen Knief viola, Gregory Bennett Walmsley cello, Nikos Zarb viola, Zoë Mather piano, Sarah Barnes cello, Siân Philipps violin,

Rachel Barnes bassoon, James Scannell saxophone, Joseph Tong piano, Anthony Woollard cello, Tammy Se violin, Clive Carroll guitar, Janey Miller oboe, Jane Stoneham marimba, Thomas Oxley bassoon,

Benjamin Grosvenor piano, Victoria Goldsmith violin, Suzanne Thorn oboe, Sophie Biebuyck soprano,Timothy Wayne-Wright countertenor, Tamsin Thorn bassoon, Joanna Marie Skillett soprano,

Sarah Jane Lewis mezzo-soprano, Matthew Lewis trombone, Matthew Paris double bass, Rebecca Leung piano, Elodie Chousmer-Howelles violin, Rebecca Silverman soprano, Kayleigh McEvoy soprano,

Jamie Cochrane piano, Michael Lafferty baritone

John Lill’s concert career spans fifty years. He gave his first piano recital at the age of 9 and at 18 he made his London debut playing Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto with Sir Adrian Boult conducting. His many awards include gaining first prize at the Moscow International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1970.

Unanimously described as the leading British pianist of his generation, John Lill’s career has taken him all over the world, working with many of its finest orchestras.

John Lill’s extensive repertoire includes more than seventy concertos, and he is acclaimed in particular as a leading interpreter of Beethoven, whose complete sonata cycle he has performed on several occasions in the UK, USA and Japan.

His recent appearances include the complete Beethoven concertos with the LPO, concertos with St Petersburg Philharmonic, the BBC, RPO, BSO, RLPO, RNSO and many orchestras overseas. He has given recitals in London’s Royal Festival Hall, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and other major concert halls worldwide.

John Lill has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, ASV, Chandos, Conifer and Nimbus Records, including the complete concertos of Beethoven, Brahms, the complete sonatas of Beethoven and Prokofiev and all the major works of Rachmaninov.

He lives in London and was awarded the OBE in 1978 and CBE in 2005 for his services to music.

Photo: Tim Jenkins

Essex Young Musician of the Year 2021

Prizes

1st Prize – £1,000 and The Essex Young Musician of the Year Cup (anonymous donation)

2nd Prize – £400 The Hall Memorial Prize and Cup (anonymous donation)

3rd Prize – £300 Waitrose Prize (Waitrose, Community Matters, Buckhurst Hill)

4th Prize – £200 Ongar Round Table Prize

5th Prize – £100 The Arts Society West Essex Prize

6th Prize – £75 The Ongar Music Club Prize_________

Under-19 Prizes

£100 The Geoffrey Timms Memorial Prize (anonymous donation)

£100 The Bert Webster Memorial Prize (Chimes Tokens donated by Mrs Webster)

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THE PROGRAMME

L’Absent FauréDie Jüngenonne Schubert

Jessica Edom-Carey (25) Soprano • Pianist: Lucy Colquhoun Jessica is studying at the RCM with Tim Evans-Jones. She holds a B. Mus degree and has received several scholarships and awards. She is a previous EYMY finalist.

Ich folge dir gleichfalls (St John Passion) BWV 245 JS BachSleep (Five Elizabethan Songs) Ivor Gurney

Hannah Walker (19) Soprano • Pianist: Dafydd Chapman Hannah attended Brentwood School where she held a choral scholarship. She studied at the Junior Royal Academy of Music where she now studies full-time with Mary Nelson.

Sabbath Morning (Sea Pictures) ElgarGebet (Mörike Lieder) WolfEr ist’s (Mörike Lieder) Wolf

Abbie Ward (21) Mezzo-soprano • Pianist: William Gardener Abbie attended Westcliff High School for Girls. She has Gd. 8 singing and is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music. She has been awarded several prizes and scholarships.

Sonatina for Oboe and Piano Op. 28 (Mvts. 1 & 2) Malcolm ArnoldBlues for DD Jeffrey Agrell

Isabella Pincombe (23) Oboe • Pianist: Lynn Arnold Isabella is currently undertaking post-graduate studies at the RAM where she has held scholarships. She has a DipABRSM (oboe) and a B.Mus. Member of RAM Symphony Orch.

Sonata No. 3 in C BWV 1005 (Mvt. 4 Allegro assai) JS BachMalagueña Op. 21 No. 1 Sarasate

Melinda Blackman (26) Violin • Pianist: James Greenfield Melinda studied at Junior RAM and Kings College, London. She has a B. Mus and an LRSM diploma and has given several performances of concertos including by Mendelssohn and Saint-Saëns.

Concerto in A minor (Mvt. 3) Michel BlavetHypnosis Ian Clarke

Mariella Jasper (16) Flute • Pianist: Joanna Smith Mariella is studying at Chelmsford Country High School for Girls. She has Gd. 8 with distinction and has regular performing experience with the school’s orchestra and senior flute choir.

Concerto No. 4 in D (Mvt. 1) HaydnRomanze Svendsen

Sunny Duan (18) Violin • Pianist: Daniel Law Sunny is studying at Colchester Royal Grammar School. He has Gd. 8 in violin and piano, also Gd 7 clarinet. He is co-leader of the Essex YO and has an Essex Young Musician’s Trust Award.

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Prayer (Jewish Life) BlochTruckin’ Though the South (No. 2 of Ten American Cello Etudes) Aaron Minsk

Finnian Smith (16) Cello • Pianist: Naoko Inuoe Finnian is studying at Westcliff High School for Boys. He has Gd. 8 in cello and French horn. He won the Southend Fest. brass concerto class and the Leigh Festival under-16 repertoire class.

Presto alla Tedesca Op. 79 BeethovenLullaby Raymond Yiu

Nell Ramdenee (16) Piano Nell is studying at Saffron Walden County High School and she has Gd. 7 with distinction. Nell was the winner of the first Dunmow Rotary Young Musician Competition in 2021.

My Romance Richard RodgersSpring can Really Hang You Up Tommy Wolf

Felix Fardell (21) Trombone • Guitar: Nicholas Elmer, Bass: Sebastian Maniura Felix is a post-graduate student at the GSM&D. He holds a BA (St Peter’s College, Oxford) where he was principal trombone in the university orchestra as well as the university jazz orchestra.

Ecco ridente in cielo (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) RossiniWie bist du, meine Königin (9 Lieder und Gesänge Op. 32) Brahms

Angelo Fallaria (23) Tenor • Pianist: Petar Dimov Angelo is studying at the RAM. He has Gd. 8 and is a member of the Philharmonia Chorus. He has been a soloist in many performances including Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah.

INTERVAL – 10 minsDuring the interval we will be presenting a short history of

Ongar Music Club and the Essex Young Musician of the Year competition

Arethusa Op. 49 Benjamin BrittenThree Romances – No. 1 Schumann

Elizabeth Loboda (17) Oboe • Pianist: Victor Garcia Elizabeth is studying at the Coopers Company & Coborn School. She has Gd. 8 (distinction). She has played in Havering Youth, Thames Reach Youth and Essex Youth Orchestras.

O Wär Ich Schon (Fidelio) BeethovenSeascape (On this Island) Benjamin Britten

Madeline Robinson (24) Soprano • Pianist: Rachael Plunkett Madeline studied at Birmingham Conservatoire and GSM&D. She holds a B. Mus. She won the Cameron Smith French Song Prize and has taken part in workshops, including at the ROH.

Suite No. 3 – Courante JS BachSonata in F minor Op. 120 – Mvt. 2 (andante un poco adagio) Brahms

Florence Cope (16) Viola • Pianist: Tim Carey Florence is studying at Chelmsford County High School for Girls. She has Gd. 8 and is a member of the Junior GSM Symphony Orchestra and the London School’s Symphony Orchestra.

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Density 21.5 Edgard VarèseOut of the Cool Dave Heath

Franky Slater (18) Flute • Pianist: Sarah Brennan Franky studied at Felsted School where she held a music scholarship. She holds an ABRSM diploma (flute) and Gd. 8 (piano) and played in the Felsted School orchestra.

Methodical Sonata in B minor TWV 41 TelemannBallade Albert Perilhou

Amy Wood (21) Flute • Pianist: Daniel King Smith Amy is studying at Trinity Laban where she holds a trust scholarship. She has a DipABRSM (flute) and Grade 8 (alto sax). She has given many performances in the UK, Australia and Hong Kong.

Unbewegte laue Luft (Acht Lieder und Gesänge Op. 57) BrahmsFuneral Blues (Cabaret Songs) Britten

Holly Putt (23) Mezzo-soprano • Pianist: Francesca Lauri Menta Holly studied at Chelmer Valley High School, Colchester Institute and Trinity Laban. She passed Grade 8 with distinction.

Sonatina (Mvt. 1) MartinuIdylle Printanière (played on bass clarinet) Alfred Pratt

Vivien Wong (17) Clarinet • Pianist: Joanna Smith Vivien is studying at Colchester County HS for Girls and holds an ABRSM diploma (distinction). She won a Jack Petchey Achievement Award and is a member of National Youth Inspire orchestra.

Sonata No. 13 in Bb K. 333 Mvt. 1 Mozart Concert-Etude IV ‘Remembrance’ Nikolai Kapustin

Xander Benham (25) Piano Xander attended City University, GSM&D and HKU Utrechts Conservatorium. He holds a B.Mus and Masters in Piano Performance & Composition. He was runner-up in the 2019 EYMY comp.

Partita No. 2 BWV 1004 i. Allemande JS BachPartita No. 2 BWV 1004 iv. Giga JS Bach Malagueña Op. 21 No. 1 Sarasate

Lucy Haggerwood-Bullen (25) Violin • Pianist: Alastair Chilvers Lucy studied at the University of Birmingham and Trinity Laban. She has a B.Mus and MA and has played with a large number of orchestras including the Philharmonia and BBC.

Partita No. 2 in C minor BWV 826 (Capriccio) JS BachPolonaise in C# minor Chopin

Justin Man (16) Piano Justin studied at Burnt Mill Academy and is now a student at Bishop’s Stortford College. He holds an ATCL in piano performance from Trinity Laban.

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THE JURY

Marianne Olyver was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for 5 years and was invited to lead the orchestra. Marianne then studied the violin in London and Geneva with Max Rostal, Yfrah Neaman, Alfredo Campoli and Emanuel Hurwitz CBE.

Marianne has played as a Principal for many London Orchestras. Her ensemble Marianne Olyver and her Orchestra is a unique ensemble of virtuoso dash and sparkle, and has performed widely to critical acclaim. Marianne’s guest appearance on Woman’s Hour, where she performed live, was voted BBC Radio 4’s Pick of the Week. She has a duo called Postcards From Europe, which researches and performs the works of composers who were affected by the rise of the Third Reich. Recitals include such venues as St John’s Smith Square, the British Embassy, Budapest and The Roman Forum, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Marianne has taught at The Julliard School in New York and the Junior Royal Academy of Music, London. She is an International Examiner for the ABRSM and Director of the Pro Corda London Strings Programme.

John Anderson studied with Derek Wickens and Terence MacDonagh. By the age of twenty he had taken up his first orchestral post with the Suisse Romande Orchestra in Geneva, followed by a career in major symphony orchestras spanning over forty years including the BBC Symphony, the Philharmonia and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestras.

John currently combines his performing work with a professorship at the Royal College of Music, and he has also taught and given masterclasses in Japan, China and Canada. He is also a busy freelance player both as a solo artist and as a studio player recording music for film and television.

John’s current discography includes versions of the Strauss concerto with the BBC Symphony and Philharmonia orchestras, the Mozart concerto with the English Chamber Orchestra, and recital albums with piano and guitar. John Anderson is a graduate of the Open University in social science.

Roderick Elms (chairman of the jury) broadcasts regularly for BBC Radio 3 and Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night and he has made many recordings with the Royal Philharmonic, London Symphony, London Philharmonic and BBC Concert Orchestras. For several years he was organist to the London Symphony Orchestra as well as being London pianist to the legendary cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. His many recordings include de Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain, Warsaw Concerto (a Classic FM favourite) and The Gentle Art of Percy Whitlock for solo organ. He has performed on a large number of film scores ranging from Aliens to the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Roderick Elms’ compositions have formed the basis of numerous recordings including A Little Fall-ish! (Dutton) and Festive Frolic (Naxos) with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His CDs include Moody Moves featuring his sextet for piano and winds, Festive Frolic with the RPO) and A Windy Christmas with The Joyful Company of Singers, Chaconne Brass, John Anderson (oboe), Joanna Smith (piano) and conductor Bramwell Tovey.

Roderick Elms was a committee member of Ongar Music Club for thirty-five years and now sits on the Board of Trustees. His memoirs were published last August by The Choir Press and his history of Ongar Music Club will be published shortly.

Jane Webster is Chairman of Ongar Music Club. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music and was bestowed with the Honour of a Shinn Fellowship (FRAM). She continued her studies in Switzerland with the late Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, subsequently living and studying in Switzerland and Chicago. Jane gained Scholarships from the Royal Society of Arts, the Worshipful Company of Musicians and the Ian Fleming Trust. Jane was a YCAT and Kathleen Ferrier prize winner and also Essex Young Musician of the Year.

Chosen by the BBC for TV’s Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, she then made her Principal Operatic debut with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, singing The Countess — Le Nozze di Figaro for Scottish Opera and over 25 principal operatic roles with the major companies throughout the UK and Europe. Performing as a soloist at all the main London Concert venues, Jane has also sung with many of the great conductors and orchestras.

Jane toured world-wide with her headline solo classical/jazz cabaret shows and made her West End debut in Phantom of the Opera. She also appeared as Mother Abbess at the London Palladium in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit production of The Sound of Music. She played Mrs Fezziwig in the National tour of Scrooge with Tommy Steele; Mrs Greer in the National tour of Annie, Antifreeze in Jack Frost’s Christmas at St John’s Smith Square; Waltrude in Wagner’s Die Walkure, and leading roles in The Dancing Years and Lawrence. As Miss Jane in Floyd Collins at Southwark Playhouse, Jane was nominated by Off West End as Best Female Performance in a London Musical.

John Sibley was born in Ilford, Essex. He began his musical career as a church chorister and learned to play the trombone at school. He then studied trombone and singing at the Royal College of Music.

After leaving college, John toured with Glyndebourne Opera and was offered the Principal trombone position with the orchestra of London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet). He maintained his freelance career as well, teaching, playing trombone and singing as a tenor soloist. In 1979 he became sub principal trombone with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra where he remained for the next 22 years, until leaving to take up the post of Head of Brass for Newham Music Trust.

Many years with the RPO as both an orchestra member, and between 1996 and 1999 as board member and chairman, enabled John to bridge the divide between professional playing and music administration. Amongst his recent achievements John established the Newham Youth Orchestra. He has regularly coached brass and trombone sections for the Essex Youth Orchestra, local brass bands and he has adjudicated the Governors Brass Prize at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. Although John has now retired, he continues to support the RPO and the London concert scene and arts in general. However playing the piano is now his main musical interest.

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ONGAR MUSIC CLUB

COMMITTEEChairman: Jane Webster Secretary: Carol Pummell Treasurer: David Hannibal

Alisdair Hogarth, Andy King

TRUSTEESChairperson: Francesca Smith

Vice-Chairman: Councillor Jamey McIvor Roderick Elms, Mark Walmsley, Jane Webster

Ongar Music Club is a registered charity, number 273185

Mrs HM BarkerMrs I ChatfieldMr G Clarke Mr J Collis Mrs J DeanEssex County CouncilMrs A Fowler Ms N Harries Estate of Mr JF Harrop Mr P Jackson Estate of Miss NM Korf, BEM Mr B Lawrence

John Lill, CBEOngar Round TableOngar Town Council Dr J PopeMrs J ScottMrs P SlowMrs J Stacey Mrs S Terry Geoffrey TimmsWaitroseMrs Peggy Webster

plus other anonymous sponsors.

Ongar Music Club gratefully acknowledges the generous sponsorship of the following individuals, without whom it would be impossible

to stage this annual competition.

E-mail: administrator@ongarmusicclub.org.ukwww.ongarmusicclub.org.ukOngar Music Club is a registered charity, No. 273185

Essex Young Musician of the YearAdministrator: Roderick Elms