The Concert Hall was buzzing as eight of Trinity’s most accomplished young musicians took to the stage for the recital round of this year’s Musician of the Year competition, on Tuesday evening. With three places up for grabs in the Concerto Final later in the year, and the opportunity to play alongside the London Mozart Players, the standard was impressively high from the very first note.
We were delighted to welcome internationally renowned conductor Benjamin Pope as adjudicator. With a career spanning orchestras and productions across the world, including work with The Royal Ballet and Sir Matthew Bourne, Benjamin offered thoughtful and encouraging feedback, praising the musical maturity on display.
Each student performed a full 20-minute recital and the audience was treated to a rich and varied programme, from classical cornerstones to contemporary works, all performed with confidence and flair.
The evening opened with this year’s Steinway Scholar Isaac (piano), who presented a poised and thoughtful programme including Haydn’s Sonata in C major, Debussy’s shimmering Pagodes and Kapustin’s virtuosic Toccatina.
Upper Sixth student National Youth Orchestra (NYO) member Leo (singing), accompanied by Andrei Iliushkin, followed with an expressive set that ranged from Mozart’s Deh, vieni alla finestra to Finzi’s Let Us Garlands Bring, bringing Shakespeare’s text vividly to life.
Fifth Year Jowan (trumpet), partnered by Jonathan Musgrave, impressed with a confident and lyrical performance of works by Busser, Ewazen and Goedicke, playing with warmth, clarity and a beautifully rounded sound.
After the interval, Fourth Year Georges (violin) delivered a mature and compelling account of Grieg’s Violin Sonata No. 2, followed by a dazzling performance of Wieniawski’s Polonaise Brillante.
Lower Sixth student and former Steinway Scholar Ben (piano) then treated the audience to a thrilling and wide-ranging programme, from the fiery energy of Chopin’s Étude Op. 10 No. 4 to the grandeur of Busoni’s Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, closing with Ginastera’s rhythmically exhilarating Danzas Argentinas.
Lower Sixth student and NYO member Nathan (oboe) followed with a beautifully shaped performance of works by Bozza and Saint-Saëns, combining lyrical fluidity with expressive depth and impressive technical control.
After the second interval, First Year Elliot (cello), accompanied by Andrei Iliushkin, delivered one of the evening’s most talked-about performances. In only his first year, Elliot showed remarkable control and musical instinct in works by Valentini and Busoni, with Fauré’s Papillon a particular highlight.
The concert concluded with Upper Sixth Brayden (alto saxophone), whose assured stage presence and musical imagination brought Muczynski’s Sonata vividly to life, followed by movements from Carter Pann’s Three Songs Without Words.
After careful deliberation, Benjamin Pope praised the outstanding quality of all eight performances before announcing the finalists for the 2026 Concerto Final on 24 April.
Finalists for the Concerto Final 2026
Highly commended
Leo (singing)
Congratulations to all the students involved on a memorable evening.
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