Youth Programme
Our Youth Programme is now well established as an integral part of the Festival with initiatives such as the Barnes Young Musician of the Year Award, the Schools’ Concert, our Under 12 free ticket scheme and performance opportunities for first class music groups from local secondary schools. With children and families being a large part of the Barnes population, we aim to engage them in listening to and creating music within the Festival. We continue to devise new opportunities for involvement and to promote the enjoyment of music to young people in our community.
Schools Concert
The Schools Concert is a creative project for local primary schools with the aim of introducing primary aged children to the joy of music making. In 2018, children from Barnes Primary and St Paul’s School took centre stage for an entire event for the first time in the history of the festival where they performed Alexander L’Estrange’s, Zimbe! In 2019, Leonardo Da Vinci inspired the children. Our 2022 concert was based on the theme of bridges with a performance of Let's Build a Bridge by Mark Wilderspin.
Previous winners
2022 Winner: Grace Wu, piano
Runner up: Sophia Membery, harp
Special Commendations:
Josephine Russell, oboe
Jane Lee, violin
Adjudicator: Toby Purser
2021 Winner: Mila Mitrovic, clarinet
Runners up: Tian Hsu, trumpet
Josephine Russel, oboe
Adjudicator: Jane Gordon
2020 Winner: Xenia Edwards, violin
Runner up: Tian Hsu, trumpet
Adjudicator: Ashley Solomon
2019 Winner: Charlotte Comon, cello
Runner up: Madeleine Jablonowska, clarinet
Adjudicator: Paul McCreesh
2018 Winner: Calvin Leung, piano
Runner up: Andreana Chan, violin
Adjudicator: Hilary Davan Wetton
2017 Winner: Samuel Tannenbaum, piano
Adjudicator: Ralph Allwood
Barnes Young Musician of the Year
For the last seven years the Barnes Young Musician Award has offered 70 aspiring young instrumentalists the opportunity to perform on a public platform to a distinguished adjudicator. Members of the discerning audiences have commented on the increase in the quality of musicianship over the years.
The opening sectional masterclasses, generously supported and hosted by local schools, give a valuable opportunity to young players to receive helpful insight from outstanding professional musicians.
We offer the applicants for both the Masterclasses and the Final Award the chance to work with a professional accompanist and the new Young Musician the possibility of further performances during the year ahead.
We are thrilled to announce that the winner of the Barnes Young Musician of the Year 2023 is Michael Tao, piano
and our runners up are Jane Lee, violin and Jacqueline Yang, cello
Congratulations to all our 2023 finalists and huge thanks to our adjudicator, Ben Parry.
