RNCM Students Compete for BBC Young Musician Title

One student from the RNCM and four from Junior RNCM have been selected to compete in the category finals of the 2014 BBC Young Musicians of the Year.

Undergraduate pianist Hayley Parkes, 18, will participate in the Keyboard category of the annual competition, while saxophonist Jessika Gillam, 15, trombonist Lewis Bettles, 18, and percussionists Jess Wood, 16, and Elliott Gaston-Ross, 15, all students of JRNCM, will take part in Woodwind, Brass and Percussion respectively. A total of 450 entries were received from musicians aged eight to 18, with five going through in each category.

Talking of this year’s event, Competition Manager Kerry Clark said: ‘The category finalists show a remarkable level and breadth of talent. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with these outstanding young musicians over the coming months and watching their progress through to the 2014 final.’

The category finals take place between Monday 3 and Friday 7 March in the Dora Stoutzker Hall at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, before the semi-finals on Sunday 9 March and final on Tuesday 18 March at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.

BBC Young Musician will be broadcast extensively on BBC Four and BBC Radio 3. For more information, click here.

27 January 2014