Thursday, February 23, 2012

Winner of BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award 2012 announced

The winner of the overall BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award 2012 was announced last night on BBC Radio 2’s Young Brass Awards 2012 programme, presented by Frank Renton and Simone Rebello.

Scooping the highly acclaimed accolade was 19-year-old tuba player Ross Knight from Carnoustie in Scotland who had already been named as the recipient of the Award for Soloist of the Year under 21.

Soloist Ross will now be given the opportunity to showcase his musical talents on a further broadcast when he appears as a featured soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra on their prestigious live music programme Friday Night is Music Night. 

The two other category award recipients taking part were Soloist of the Year under 18, James Fountain (cornet), and The Best Youth Brass Band of the Year, The Carnoustie and District Youth Brass Band. 

Lewis Carnie, Head of Programming for Radio 2, said: “This award has long been an important part of Radio 2’s musical year. The award exemplifies the station’s on-going commitment to supporting the vibrant brass scene in the UK. Ross was a thoroughly deserving winner and certainly wowed the judges with his musical talents. I’m sure he has many great things ahead of him.” 

Talking about receiving this prestigious award, winner Ross, who is studying at the Royal Academy of Music, London, said: “When I found out I had won I could hardly speak. I’m so thrilled to have won such a prestigious award. It’s been one of the biggest achievements of my life. Taking part in the competition was such a great honour. And I’m hoping that winning will open up doors to some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras. That’s the ambition.”

This year, the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Awards expanded from one to three awards. This was to reflect the talent and achievements of young brass players from around the UK.

Highlights of the programme will be on the Radio 2 website

Radio 2 continues to commit to music at a grass roots level. In November last year Ella Rainbird-Earley from Coventry Cathedral and Richard Decker from the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy were presented with the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Young Choristers of the Year 2011 Award. The competition celebrates the unique contribution young people make to church choral music in this country, recognising the training, skills and repertoire they receive. 

And at the recent Folk Awards 2012, held in Salford earlier this month, Northern Irish band Ioscaid were given the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award - an award given to the most promising young folk artist in the UK.

(Source : BBC Press Release)

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