Welcome to the latest edition of Purcell’s Weekly Highlights!
We were so very proud to hear over the half term break that Year 12 pianist Benji won First Prize at the 2021 Wales International Piano Festival Competition in Caernarfon. Benji was one of 30 talented young pianists, all 21 years old and under, who competed in this year’s festival competition and we are delighted by his success.
Congratulations to Year 8 violinist Maya-Ashanti who has become the latest member of Chineke! Junior Orchestra. What a great achievement!
In addition to our feature on the Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival in the last Weekly Highlights, we are thrilled to be able to share a recording of the 2021 Schools Concert.
Performed by Purcell’s young musicians and conducted by Director of Music Paul Hoskins, with illustrations throughout by artist James Mayhew, this recording of Holst’s Planet Suite is not to be missed. We hope you enjoy it.
On Sunday 17th October at Conway Hall, alumnus and composer Noah Max triumphed in the 2021 The Clements Prize taking First Prize. His winning piece, Sojourn, written in 2017 while at Purcell under the tutelage of Simon Speare, was performed magnificently by the Piatti Quartet.
In lieu of a recording of Sojourn from the night, Noah has shared the following performance by members of the Brompton Quartet.
An interview with Noah about his experience of The Clements Prize, and touching on his time at Purcell, is available here.
Leeds International Piano Competition winner and alumnus Alim Beisembayev will perform at Parbold Village Hall on 13th November as part of his 2021 Gold Medal prize. The programme will include Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Andrew Manze.
For further information, please visit the venue’s website here.
