Musicians tune in to Sedley Wells Music Competition
03 Nov 2017
Technical proficiency is one thing, but the judge of the Sedley Wells’ Music Competition was looking for “the goose bump effect” when she listened to the 18 College contestants playing solo in the College Assembly Hall on 31st October.
Zara Ballara, Executant Performance Music Tutor at the University of Canterbury School of Music, praised all the competitors who took up the challenge of performing their solo items in a formal setting, complimenting them all on their performances.
But more than technical proficiency it was “the goose bump effect” that she was after, she said.
That ability to give an inspired and exciting performance that lifted the notes off the pages in a unique way.
Accompanied by professional musicians, Mr Harry Meehan, Dr Elvira Dommisse, Mr Julian Hay and Mr Tim Emerson, the 10 Seniors and 8 Juniors were judged on performance and presentation only. The musicians played a variety of instruments - piano, guitar, violin, flute, drums, oboe, baritone saxophone – and a number sang.
Pianist Max Toth, was judged Senior winner for his performance of Franz Liszt’s Liebestraum No 3.
The judge said that “just like singing a song which has a story, instrumental music also has a story to tell, which the performer must try to find and then communicate it. Max managed to find the story in this piece and communicated it to the audience.”
Angus Mossman was second with his rendition for guitar and voice of the Howard and Sinatra classic Fly Me To The Moon, and Harry Hartstone, was highly recommended for his performance of Prejudice by Tim Minchin.
The Junior winner was flautist, John-Paul Lay who played Estate by Bruno Martino.
“John-Paul had great stage presence and communication skill even in the rests. He also had superb intonation,” said the judge.
Pianist Raphael Rim was second with Chopin’s Nocturne op.9 no.1. Violinists Ederick He and Justin Hodges were both highly commended. Ederick played Auguste de Beriot’s Concerto no.9 op.104 (1st movement), and Justin performed Tchaikovsky’s Waltz-Scherzo op.34.
