Mixed competitors

This was obviously a challenge for the five players who competed to be the concerto soloist for the Canberra Youth Orchestra for its concert in August. They each played the first movement of their chosen concerto. Anthony Smith accompanied on piano. And, interestingly, each played a different instrument. Not sure if they were more than five entrants, but there were five judged at this concert. The judges were amongst the senior performers in town: Leonard Weiss (not quite so senior), Tor Fromyhr, Paul McMahon and new ANUSOM director, Ken Lampl. They were all faces I recognised, being from the CYO, or perhaps NCO or other. The players were: Juniper Bedwell playing Weber Clarinet concerto no.1; Charlie Barnes playing Hummel Trumpet concerto; Hayley Manning playing Koussevitzky Double bass concerto; Shirahni Mudaliar playing Mozart Violin concerto no.3; Chayla Ueckert-Smith playing Vaughan Williams Concerto for oboe and strings. Chayla played from memory; Charlie mostly so. They were vastly different in tonality and technique and style. We listened, families recorded, we compared, for comparison this is. The judges considered but we are yet to hear their decision. A 2 week delay was mentioned. Ken Lampl finished with congratulations and a talk highlighting the value of the commitment required. We left wondering. Who will play in August? My guesses have been shown to err in the past, so no hints from me...

Juniper Bedwell (clarinet), Charlie Barnes (trumpet), Hayley Manning (double bass), Shirahni Mudaliar (violin) and Chayla Ueckert-Smith (oboe) competed in the CYO concerto competition at Wesley. The judges were Leonard Weiss, Tor Fromyhr, Paul McMahon and Ken Lampl. The accompanist was Anthony Smith (piano).