LAST week, Shropshire Music Service and the new Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury held a sell-out concert featuring Shropshire’s finest young musicians as they took part in Shropshire’s Young Musician of the Year concerto competition.
Competing for the prestigious award were Shi Yun Khoo, of Concord College, performing Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto, Bethan Robinson, of Church Stretton School, and Holly Scutt, of Shrewsbury High School, performing Bach’s Double Violin Concerto, Gregory Hearle, of Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, performing Mathias’s Clarinet Concerto and Christopher Jones, of Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, performing Rota’s Trombone Concerto.
The winner Gregory Hearle, aged 17, from Church Stretton, has been studying clarinet with Alan Atkin at Shropshire Music Service for nine years.
He is principal clarinettist with the Shropshire Youth Wind Orchestra and also performs in the County Jazz Ensemble.
In 2008, Greg attained Grade 8 with distinction as well as winning the Philip Cunningham Music Award for most promising young woodwind player in south Shropshire.
The adjudicator, David Bedford, praised all five finalists for their remarkable performances, but particularly Greg for his courageous choice of concerto and breathtaking performance.
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