Prior Park College is celebrating another successful Bath Young Musician of the Year competition, held earlier this week in the prestigious setting of the Pump Rooms.
In BYM’s 26-year history, Prior Park students have had more than ten finalists and five winners.
Prior trumpeter Finlay Dove, at just 14 one of the youngest finalists for several years, started the evening with a sparkling solo recital from memory.
The winner was violinist Lizzie Daniels, 16, who studied at Prior for five years until last summer.
Both students are talented pianists as well, and Finlay has just returned from a concert tour of Strasbourg with Corsham Wind Band, and Lizzie is now a member of the National Youth Orchestra and studies with Philip Dukes at Marlborough.
For her winning performance, Lizzie played the Schumann sonata, Kreisler’s virtuosic Tambourin Chinois and Ravel’s seductive Habanera. A large party of Prior students and staff were there to cheer on the two musicians.
Director of Music Roland Robertson, who played piano for Finlay in the competition, said: “The standard of all the finalists was extremely high – we were delighted that Finlay played with such confidence and skill.
“We are very proud of Lizzie’s wonderful musicianship, and a cheer went up when the result was announced! She’s a worthy winner.”
