Solo Music Winner Back for an Encore

This year’s Solo Music Competition gave the College a glimpse into why its ensembles have been performing so well. They're brimming with talented musicians who know how to create beauty together. Held in Elliot Hall on 30 July, the competition saw Middle School soloists perform during school time, while Senior School finalists closed the day out with an evening concert. Adjudicators Vincent Hardaker and Sarah McDowall had no shortage of talent to work through, and the standard on show made clear their job impossibly difficult.

As the competition continues to evolve and cater for the growing pool of talent, a new addition to the Senior programme saw Strings split into two categories for the first time. Upper Strings covered violin and viola, and Lower Strings gave cello and double bass players their own dedicated category, a change that let both ends of the section shine on their own terms.

The evening’s standout came from overall Senior School winner Peter Hu, whose rendition of Volodos’ Concert Paraphrase on the Turkish Rondo had his hands flying across the keys at a speed no one could quite compute. It was the way his whole body moved through every phrase, though, that truly set his musicianship apart from the rest of the field. It felt like an encore of last year’s Middle School win, this time walking away Senior title. A deserved repeat, and a bright few years ahead as he closes out his time at the College.

Middle School Results
Strings – Emily Lu
Contemporary Strings – Maximus Bai
Brass – Kayden Wang
Woodwinds – Zara Hong
Piano – Dylan Le
Percussion – Samuel Xu
Vocals – Olivia Wong
Traditional – Alison Xu
Highly Commended – Maojia Li, Anthony Chen

Overall Middle School Solo Music Champion – Emily Lu

Senior School Results
Upper Strings – Vanessa Leong
Lower Strings – Chian Wan
Contemporary Strings – Antony Dick
Brass – Kara Scouller
Woodwinds – Ryan Cen
Piano – Peter Hu
Percussion – Eason Liu
Voice – Kara Scouller
Highly Commended – Maodong Li, Matthew Stubbs, William Xu

Overall Senior School Solo Music Champion – Peter Hu