14 January 2023 Abingdon Music Going Solo We’ve certainly not been short of wonderful music making this term, particularly from our solo musicians. This term featured two solo platforms which exhibited music across the age range of the school. The relaxed atmosphere at these concerts is vital in supporting our musicians, helping to develop the confidence they need to perform in front of an audience. In particular, it was lovely to hear from a number of Lower School and new 3rd Year students, as well as from more accomplished musicians in the 6th Form. We also saw masterclasses for piano and violin. Anthony Williams, Head of Instrumental Music at Radley College, offered some incredibly insightful comments to our pianists, encouraging them to really think about the various different elements they can bring out in their playing. Sebastian Mueller, who holds several violin teaching positions at university Music departments across the UK, focussed on embodying the character of the various pieces as well as offering more practical advice on bowing and articulation. The Senior Instrumental Competition, adjudicated by Professor George Caird, granted performance opportunities to some of our advanced players, often at the culmination of their school careers. Professor Caird has held numerous senior positions at conservatoires around the country so he certainly knows a thing or two about performance. The standard of playing was uniformly high, making picking a top three incredibly challenging. Nevertheless, 3rd place in this competition was awarded to Oliver Glover, 2nd place to Ryan Ng whose sheer technical control over the violin was impressive and 1st place to Walter Liu, who gave an astonishingly mature performance of a tricky Chopin etude. Professor Caird also gave special mention to Louis de Chazal for his incredibly mature bassoon playing.
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