Stellenbosch University student Emilio February, 19, walked away with the second prize of R10 000 and silver medal in the National Youth Music Competition at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in Parow, Cape Town.
His performance of Hendrik Hofmeyr’s Concerto per Marimba e Orchestra D’Achi won him the R4 000 prize for the best performance of a concerto in the final round, as well as the R2 500 prize for best performance of a South African work in any round.
Ah-Young Moon, 14, a pupil at Renish Girls High in Stellenbosch, was the runner-up for piano and Zoe Coetzee, 17, of Bloemhof Girls High in Stellenbosch, was the most promising contestant in the strings category.
Hosted by the National Youth Music Foundation, the annual competition for classical instrumentalists aged between 14 and 19 years offered cash prizes totalling R145 000. This year, 21 musicians from across South Africa were selected to take part in a four round playoff at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in October.
They each had to perform a variety of classical works in front of eight adjudicators, that was assisted by a shadow jury that included former contestants and music students.
“Over the past 33 years these young musicians have raised the bar annually, proving that there is a healthy growth culture of classical music throughout South Africa,” says Michael Maas, founder and chairman of the National Youth Music Foundation.
