Everyone’s a Winner at the Beck Competition

Mr Keith Beniston, the guest adjudicator of this year’s Beck Competition, had a very difficult task deciding a winner in each of the 4 categories due to very high standard of performance across the board.

The Preliminary section was won by Zia Brown, Year 8, who began the competition with a fantastic saxophone rendition of ‘Nobody knows the Trouble I’ve Seen’ by Sam Cooke. Oliver Cowles was Highly Commended for his Saxophone playing and James Stevenson was Commended for his William Tell overture played on the timpani.

Shelina Devendrarajah, playing Christopher Bunting’s Dance Caprice beautifully on the cello won the Intermediate category. William Kerley (voice) and Max Mollenhauer-Starkl on the Harp were Highly Commended. Weronika Dudek (violin) and Alex Freeborn (trumpet) were commended for their performances.

Nasiya Narrandes won the Higher category for a very moving Minuet & Trio Op.22 by Beethoven on the piano. Harry Hosier Beeson was Highly Commended for his Mohair Mountain on guitar. Commendations were awarded to Jordann Gasper (singing), Reshmi Patel (piano) and Tom Hawkes , (piano).

The final Advanced category proved the most difficult to judge. Michael Forsyth, Year 11 (cello) was commended for his sensitive playing, Commendations were also given to Misha Behr, Year 10 (Clarinet), Toby Freeman , Year 9, (electric guitar), Seul Han Year 11 (violin), Will Marriott, Year 12 (French Horn) and Reshmi Patel (trumpet). Max Weil was Highly Commended for his powerful delivery and Jay Nathvani for his impressive organ playing.

The joint winners of this category and of the Beck Cup were Sarah Dean, Year 13, for her expressive Sonata for flute movement 1 & 2 and Abigail James (Year 10) for her very fluent delivery of the Second Movement of Bruch G Minor concerto on the violin.