College Champions Concerto Competition
Posted on Friday 20 October 2006
Talented music students at Farnborough Sixth Form College took part in the College's first ever Conc
Talented music students at Farnborough Sixth Form College took part in the College's first ever Concerto Competition held in the Prospect Theatre last week, before a distinguished judging panel of internationally renowned musicians. The winner, Jason Chowdhury, 17, of Fleet, and the runner up, Helen Lewis, 17, of Farnham, each received a crystal cut-glass vase and the opportunity for a solo appearance with a professional orchestra at the College's summer concert which will be held in Guildford Cathedral in July 2007.
Jason gave a virtuoso performance on the marimba of two movements from the Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra by Ney Rosauro which enthralled the judges and the packed audience. Commenting on his performance, Dr Nigel Wilkinson, formerly Director of Music for BBC Radio 3, said, "Your clear command of a difficult instrument and your engagement of the audience in what for many was a new piece of music was exceptional, and it was even more impressive that you had memorised the musical score".
Speaking after the competition, Jason said, "It was an exciting experience for us all to compete before these international judges and the shock of being announced the winner was quite overwhelming".
Helen Lewis is an outstanding soprano whose portrayal of Susannah in the College production of the Marriage of Figaro last year has become legendary. She sang works from a range of composers form Bach to Donizetti, and her performance culminated with a sensitive and commanding interpretation of Delibes' Les Filles de Cadix, much praised by the judges who also included the acclaimed soprano, Charlotte Newstead, and Professor Sebastian Forbes of Surrey University.
Professor Forbes said, "There may have been two winners this evening but there were no losers - all six young musicians showed enormous talent and depth of understanding of their music in participating in such a challenging solo competition".
College Principal, Dr John Guy, said, "This evening has been a wonderful tribute to the ambitious challenges and high standards set by the College's Director of Music, Paul Bambrough, and his senior colleague, Ben Dowsett".
Dr Guy added, "I stand in awe of the wonderful musicianship of these gifted and talented students at the College."
