Chester Young Musician – 2023.
The results
A day of outstanding talent in all three age groups resulted in these results for Chester Music Society's annual Young Musician competition.
Class 1 (under age 12)
Winner Thea Ormrod - trumpet
Runner-up Christina Wong - violin
3rd - Leo Johnson - piano
Class 2 (Age 13 – 15)
Winner Daniel Goharriz - clarinet
Runer-up Hugo Huang - violin
3rd - James Phillips - piano
Class 3 (Age 16 – 18)
Winner Melvin Chan - piano
Runner-up Marcel Cress - bassoon
3rd - Tyler Davies - piano
The overall winner and Chester Young Musician, 2023 was Melvin Chan. Melvin, 16, lives in Manchester where he is a pupil of Manchester Grammar School.
Melvin started playing the piano when he was 4 years old, and is currently studying at the Junior RNCM where he studies piano, composing as well as conducting. He is grateful to be awarded several scholarships including the Helen Rachael Mackaness Scholarship, the William Dobie Scholarship and the Leverhulme Scholarship. No stranger to the worlds of competition, he has won several prizes in piano competitions both locally and internationally. He was awarded the overall winner of 2023 Scottish International Youth Piano Competition as well as the Chetham’s Concerto Competition. He received prizes for his outstanding performances including the 2023 Birmingham Music Festival, the 2023 Abingdon Concerto Competition and the Grantham Music Awards. He enjoys playing in orchestras as he hopes to share music with audience in many different ways.
"The slow movement of the Prokoviev was utterly captivating in every way. Spellbinding".
Also displaying superb musical skill were the winners of the other two classes. Twelve-year-old trumpeter Thea Ormrod excelled in Ravel and Arutunian's trumpet concert and then showed her relaxed and buoyant side with a joyful performance of Tico Tico by Zequinha de Abreu. "A truly great performer in the making".
In Class 2 15-year-old Daniel Gorharriz showed superb mastery of the clarinet, playing works by Malcolm Arnold, Schumann and Bartok. Living in Aldford, Chester, Kings School pupil Daniel is 15. He is a young musician who enjoys playing the clarinet, piano, and saxophone. He first started having clarinet lessons when he was 7 years old and joined the Junior Royal Northern College of Music at age 11. Daniel achieved distinction in his Grade 8 ABRSM practical exam in clarinet, and he is currently preparing for his diploma exam. He is the principal clarinettist of JRNCM Sinfonia and the joint principal of the Hallé Youth Orchestra.