RNCM Wins ROSL Arts Keyboard Final for Second Year Running

Fourth year pianist Dominic Degavino has won the Keyboard Section Finals of the 2017 ROSL Arts competition.

The 21-year-old ABRSM scholar, who studies with Helen Krizos, walked away with the £5000 prize on Wednesday 8 March and now has the chance to compete for the Gold Medal and £10,000 First Prize in the ROSL Annual Music Competition held at Cadogan Hall on 7 June. The win marks the second year in a row an RNCM pianist has won this section of the competition, after Tyler Hay secured the same prize in 2016.

Helen Krizos, Deputy Head of Keyboard Studies who has taught Dominic for a number of years, said: ‘This is a great achievement for Dominic and follows a long line of recent successes for him. The Royal Over-Seas league is one of  the UK’s top competitions for young musicians, and to have two RNCM pianists win the Keyboard Final in succession is absolutely fantastic.’

Celebrating its 65th anniversary, the ROSL ARTS, the arts division of the Royal Over-Seas League, has developed a diverse portfolio of arts activities in music, visual arts and literature. It is devoted to the career development of talented young professional artists and musicians from the UK and the Commonwealth, and also presents readings and literary events at its central London Headquarters.

To date, numerous RNCM students and alumni have achieved success in the competition. In 2014, saxophonist Huw Wiggin won the Gold Medal, Toby Hughes became the first ever double bassist to win the Strings Section Final, the Solem Quartet won the Ensemble A Section Final, and the Zelkova Quartet received the Elias Fawcett Award.

8 March 2017