The annual Norfolk Young Musicians Competition took place on Sunday 12 January and is promoted by The Michael Badminton Young Musicians Trust. 

The renowned cellist and teacher Joely Koos adjudicated, praising all the impressive performances of the 15 participants. Chairman Jonathan Wortley commented on the high standards once again this year. 6 current Norwich School pupils partook as well as 1 ON; congratulations to Tommy Cahir, Jessica Li, Jacey Ng, Isaac Schaad, Alena Lai, Colette Maxwell-Preston and Tristan McCardel (ON) for taking part! 

Prizes in the NS and ON cohort: 

Norfolk Young Musician 2025: Tristan McCardel (ON) - Violin   

Joint Second Prize: Alena Lai (M5) - Oboe 

Third Prize: Colette Maxwell-Preston (U6) - Cello

The Badminton Trust Prize: - Isaac Schaad (L5) - Violin

Our pupils who took part commented on the experience; 

Colette – “It went very well! I was really happy with my performance, playing the first movement of the Elgar Cello Concerto in E Minor followed by the first movement of the Shostakovich Sonata for cello in D Minor, and I was pleased to come third. It was lots of fun to play alongside so many talented musicians, especially those from Norwich School. It was a great experience to perform two pieces I love and share the music with the audience. It was also very inspiring watching so many performers from Norwich School play, and I am pleased with how it went and to have come third.” 

Isaac – “The Norfolk Young Musician competition is, for me, one of the highlights of the musical year. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to perform in the John Innes Centre in front of such an experienced and knowledgeable adjudicator, and to hear all the other performers, who all played to a very high standard. I was delighted to be awarded the Badminton Prize for ‘Most Promising Young String Player’. The comments that we as a group, and I personally, received from the adjudicator were extremely helpful. As a violinist, perhaps the most useful experience I gained from the event was how to meet the challenge of sound projection in a large venue with quite a dry acoustic.” 

Jacey Ng – “I played the euphonium for the Norfolk Young Musician Competition, and I think my performance went well. It showed how much effort I put into preparing for it. The competition was a great experience, and I really enjoyed the chance to perform and share my music. It’s something I’m proud to have been part of.” 
 
Jessica Li – “I played the piano. It was a long day but was a great experience and was definitely worth it.” 

Alena Lai – “This year is my second time participating in this competition, with my first time being last year. I play the oboe and have won the overall second place in both years. We had to play a 15-minute recital, and there were around 15 people in the competition this year. I met new people there and also met up with some old friends. It was nerve-wracking to step onto the stage and do a solo recital in the hall as the competition was strong and tough. I was so nervous that I forgot the name of the piece that I was playing while introducing my programme. But once I played the first note of my programme, I felt more relaxed and just focused on my playing. I was very pleased with my performance as I played the best that I could. Overall, the experience is very positive. You can learn from others, and the adjudicator also gives back some amazing advice in the end.”