Scottish Young Musicians (SYM), Scotland’s festival of music competitions, gives young musicians from around the country the chance to compete to win career-enhancing prizes and perform live on a national stage in front of internationally renowned judges. Stemming from the founding of the North Ayrshire Young Musician Competition by brothers Alan and Brian Kerr over 20 years ago, it is now run by Mae Murray and has been the seed of the idea of bringing the SYM competitions to the whole of Scotland.
In an online competition that attracted entries from across the country and was open to ensembles playing any genre or grouping of instruments, a total of 23 ensembles entered, with 7 competing in the brass competition and 16 in the open competition.
Announced as the 2024 winner Scottish Young Musicians Ensemble of the Year is South Ayrshire’s Belmont Academy Woodwind Ensemble with James Gillespie’s High School Senior Guitar Ensemble as runners up.
The Brass Ensemble of the Year competition was won by Campbeltown Brass, with South Ayrshire Brass Ensemble taking second place, the prize for which was donated by Dr Ursula Jones in honour of her late husband who founded the widely celebrated Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.
Chief adjudicator for Open Ensemble and Brass Ensemble of the Year, Matthew Chinn said “The SYM Ensemble competition panel were delighted to receive a record number of entries, from across the length and breadth of Scotland, for both the Brass and Open Ensemble classes.
The quality of submissions were all of an extremely high standard with a diverse range of instrumentation/ensemble types entered… which is testament to the great work and variety of offering taking place each week in schools and local communities across Scotland…
The panel would like to congratulate every ensemble for their fantastic performances and look forward to welcoming this year’s winners of the Brass and Open Ensemble classes to the RCS on Sunday 26 May 2024 to perform during the SYM Solo Performer of the Year competition.”
Both ensembles will receive a cash prize to further their musical experiences, a Maid of Morven Trophy designed by sculptor Alexander Stoddart, and an all-expenses paid trip to play a prime slot at the Solo Performer of the Year National Final at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on Sunday 26th May 2024.
In 2024, local authorities covering 99% of Scotland’s population are taking part in SYM Solo Performer of the Year, giving opportunities to more young people who would like to compete in Scotland’s only music competition where funding and expertise is offered to every school and Local Authority. The competition is open to all young musicians who go to school in Scotland, whatever age or standard, and each area will select their best local soloist to compete. The final will be hosted by Jamie MacDougall and the full list of prizes and internationally-renowned judges are due to be announced soon.
For more information visit www.scottishyoungmusicians.com
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 