FINALISTS’ CONCERT
I ncorporating The Young Musicians’ Platform
SOUVENIR PROGRAMME
SATURDAY 31 ST MAY 2025
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
Dear Friends
I am very pleased to welcome you to the 2025 BIMC Finals. Since 2023, the Young Musicians’ Platform and International Competition Finals have been held on the same day, offering audience members the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon and evening of music in the heart of Bromsgrove.
Encouraging younger musicians is an important part of BIMC’s work and the reach of the Platforma competition designed for school age childrencontinues to grow and we have seen numerous competitors go on to the prestigious BBC Young Musician of the Year. Our 2024 finalists - Jamaal Kashim (harp, our second prize senior winner) and Hugo Svedberg (cello, our first place senior winner) - made it through to the semi-final of the BBC competition. An excitingly high standard was maintained in this year’s Platform preliminary rounds and I can’t wait to hear today’s players. Our thanks are due to our external adjudicators, Sarah Oliver (auditions and final), Richard Jenkinson (auditions) and Claire Prewer (final), and to Monica Toso for her unstinting work and commitment to the Platform.
Whilst the preliminary rounds of the Platform were held as far back as February, those of the International Competition took place just this week. It has been a joy to see competitors return to the stage now that BIMC is held biennially. I can safely promise you an evening of excellent music-making!
Adjudicators for the evening competition are Professor George Caird (Chair and also BIMC President), Sarah Bruce and Chris Glynn. Assessing performances at this level is extremely demanding work and on behalf of the trustees, I want to express my gratitude to this year’s highly experienced team.
I also want to thank those who have sponsored the competition throughout the years, in particular the L G Harris Trust which has been most generous.
Finally, thanks to my fellow Trustees, and to Bromsgrove School, its Governors, Headmaster and staff for their support, without which the Competition could not take place.
David Saint CHAIRMAN OF BIMC
OUR PRESIDENT
PROFESSOR GEORGE CAIRD
We are delighted to welcome Professor Caird as our Chairman of Adjudicators at The Bromsgrove International Musicians’ Competition. He is also our longstanding President.
George studied the oboe with Janet Craxton and Evelyn Barbirolli at the Royal Academy of Music, with Helmut Winschermann at the Nordwestdeutsche Musikakademie, and privately with Neil Black. He gained an MA in music at Peterhouse, Cambridge, graduating to pursue a freelance career as an oboist.
George has worked with many of London’s major orchestras including the London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, City of London Sinfonia and was a member of The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields from 1983 to 1993. He has also been a member of a number of ensembles, notably as a foundermember of The Albion Ensemble, Vega Wind Quintet and Caird Oboe Quartet.
In addition to many orchestral recordings, he has recorded CDs of solo and chamber music repertoire including ‘An English Renaissance’ of quintets and quartets for oboe and strings, and Britten’s Six Metamorphoses after Ovid as part of his published study on that work. Among the works written for him are Paul Patterson’s Duologue, John Gardner’s Second Oboe Sonata, Andrew Downes’ sonata, In the Gardens of Burdwan, John Mayer’s Abhut Sangit and in chamber music, Elizabeth Maconchy’s Wind Quintet, Paul Patterson’s Comedy for Winds and Jim Parker’s Mississippi Five.
George joined the Royal Academy of Music as professor of oboe in 1984, became Head of Woodwind in 1987 and Head of Orchestral Studies in 1989. In September 1993, he was appointed Principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University, a post that he held until August 2010. From 2011-2016, George was Artistic Director of the Classical Music Academy, Codarts Rotterdam, from 20172018, interim Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and from 2020-2021, interim Principal of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
George continues to teach the oboe at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, is President of the Barbirolli International Oboe Competition, President of the Bromsgrove International Music Competition and a Trustee of the Countess of Munster Musical Trust.
BIMC 2025 COMPETITORS
JULIA BLACHUTA VIOLIN
MADELEINE BROWN PIANO
JASON CHUN TUNG CHAN PIANO
RYAN CHAR VIOLIN
JAMIE COCHRANE PIANO
IOHA COMAN VIOLIN
CHERRY GE PIANO
ADRIAN HENKE PIANO
SEOHYUN KANG CELLO
SUA LEE PIANO
JAMES ZI JUN LI VIOLIN
JOACHIM LIM PIANO
POLINA MAKHINA VIOLIN
ALEXANDRA PEEL VIOLIN
NATHAN PERRY DOUBLE BASS
ROBERTO ILLIEV ROMANOV PIANO
SOFIA ROS ACCORDION
CYRUS HO CHAN YUEN VIOLIN
AFTER THE SEMI-FINAL ROUND, HIGHLY COMMENDED WAS AWARDED TO:
Piano Accompanist Prize:
CHERRY GE (PIANO)
JULIA BLACHUTA (VIOLIN)
BIMC ADJUDICATORS
PROF. GEORGE CAIRD (CHAIRMAN)
Throughout his career, George has been professor of oboe, head of woodwind and head of orchestral studies at the Royal Academy of Music. From 1993-2010, he was principal of the Birmingham Conservatoire.
After gaining an MA in music at Peterhouse, Cambridge, he pursued a freelance career as an oboist playing with major orchestras including the London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and the City of London Sinfonia.
SARAH BRUCE
Sarah has over 20 years’ experience of managing musicians, having launched Lomonaco Artists in 2007. A first instrument oboist, she graduated in music from Edinburgh University and also plays flute and piano.
For over two decades, Sarah has travelled widely around the globe managing both instrumental soloists such as cellist Matthew Barley, oboist Nicholas Daniel, violinist Michael Foyle, pianist Ivana Gavrić and pianist/ composer Rolf Hind, as well as conductors Michael Seal, Joshua Gersen, Živa Ploj Peršuh, David Greilsammer, Jukka Untamala and chamber ensembles including the Calefax Reed Quintet, the Kamus Quartet and Trio Balthasar.. Sarah gained her initial experience in managing artists through working with Seaview Music in Cambridge; then a move to HarrisonParrott in London. She also worked at Ricordi London publishers before launching Lomonaco Artists.
CHRIS GLYNN
Chris is a Grammy award-winning pianist and accompanist, praised for his ‘breathtaking sensitivity’ (Gramophone), ‘irrepressible energy, wit and finesse’ (The Guardian), ‘a perfect fusion of voice and piano’ (BBC Music Magazine) and as ‘an inspired programmer’ (The Times).
He is Artistic Director of the Ryedale Festival, programming around sixty events each year in beautiful and historic venues across North Yorkshire.
Chris read music at New College, Oxford and studied piano with John Streets in France and Malcolm Martineau at the Royal Academy of Music, where he now teaches. He has made many CD recordings and is regularly heard on BBC Radio 3.
PLATFORM AUDITIONEES
JUNIOR SECTION
THEO BAMFORD-MILLS FLUTE
CELIA CAHILL-WRIGHT RECORDER (FINALIST)
AURORA YU CHIN CHAN CELLO
JOSHUA COTTERILL PIANO
ALICE CUMBERBATCH VIOLIN
MARTHA FRANKS VIOLIN
TIANTIAN GAO PIANO
MILLIE HUANG HARP (FINALIST)
SIYUE HUANG CELLO (FINALIST)
AIQI LI PIANO (FINALIST)
ALEXANDRA MAY MCLEOD ASHBY VIOLIN
ADRIAN TAI PIANO (FINALIST)
MAX TIN WAI WONG PEDAL HARP
MYA TIN SIP WONG HARP
YISEN XU PIANO
ZHIYANG XU PIANO
MICHELLE ZHU PIANO
ELLA RUTH ZILIN BACKHOUSE PIANO
SENIOR SECTION
SOPHIA CHEUK-NING TONG PIANO
NICHOLAS KWOK FLUTE
NATHANIEL MING SHUN LAW OBOE (FINALIST)
ZHENSHI LIANG VOICE
HARRIET PERFECT VOICE (FINALIST)
ARIHANT SHARMA PIANO
MAX HARRISON WALSH PIANO
TOM JUNDE HE PIANO (FINALIST)
MILLIE HESKETH CELLO
ROBIN ARTHUR NISHIMURA FLUTE
AILISH STEELE FLUTE (FINALIST)
CONRAD VAN WYK PIANO
LIA IBEN MATOS WUNDERLICH CELLO (FINALIST)
YUDI ZHAO PIANO
Piano Accompanist Prize:
AFTER THE AUDITIONS ROUND, HIGHLY COMMENDED WAS AWARDED TO:
JOSHUA COTTERILL (PIANO) - JUNIOR SECTION
TIAN TIAN GAO (PIANO) - JUNIOR SECTION
MAX HARRISON WALSH (PIANO) - SENIOR SECTION
CONRAD VAN WYK (PIANO) - SENIOR SECTION
PLATFORM ADJUDICATORS
PROF. DAVID SAINT BA
BMUS FRCO FRSCM FRBC FRSA
CHAIRMAN - FINAL
David is a former Principal of the Birmingham Conservatoire, as well as Organist & Director of Music at St Chad’s Cathedral.
He studied with Alan Spedding and Dame Gillian Weir and is active as a national and international performer, teacher and Choral Director. David works regularly for the Royal College of Organists, of which he is a trustee.
SARAH OLIVER - AUDITION ROUND AND FINAL
Sarah is sixth form co-ordinator within the academic music department at Chetham’s School of Music.
She began her musical education in Manchester, and read for a degree at Oxford. On graduating, she moved to Dublin to sing with the vocal group Anúna, before embarking on postgraduate study. Sarah combines teaching and being an examiner, with freelance writing for early music journals. She is a Trustee of the musical charity The Commonwealth Resounds!, an organisation which supports the work of musicians across the Commonwealth.
CLAIRE PREWER - FINAL
Claire Prewer studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where she was awarded a scholarship to study on the A.G.S.M. Performers Course and subsequently on the Opera Course.
She enjoys performing a wide range of repertoire across a variety of genres. She has been a regular soloist with the British Police Symphony Orchestra in venues such as The Royal Albert Hall in their 2019 Gala concert, and the soprano solo in a chamber version of the last movement of Mahler’s 4th symphony live on Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’. Claire is also a composer and was commissioned to write an arrangement of ‘Mo Li Hua’ for a CBSO tour of China. In 2019 she wrote, directed and sung in her debut opera, ‘Sabrina, Spirit of the Severn’ and she is currently in the process of writing a new musical.
ALASTAIR MOSELEY
CHAIRMAN - AUDITION ROUND
Alastair is Principal Clarinettist with the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra as well as Principal Clarinettist of the Orchestra of St John, which he both founded and now manages.
He is Chair of Bromsgrove Concerts and of the Birmingham Philharmonic Concerto Competition Prize Fund. Alastair has played nationally and internationally as a concerto soloist on piano and clarinet with many leading midland amateur orchestras.
DR RICHARD JENKINSON - AUDITION ROUND
A cellist since the age of five, Richard is currently Musical Director of the British Police Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of St John.
He is also Musical Director of the orchestra and choir of GKT Music Society at King’s College, London and, for the last year, has been conductor of the Worcestershire Youth Orchestra. In 2019, he was awarded his PhD from the University of Birmingham. Richard started conducting whilst at Repton School before continuing his career as a cellist and conductor, having won a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
OFFICIAL ACCOMPANISTS
JONATHAN FRENCH - BIMC
Jonathan French studied Piano at Chetham’s before gaining First Class Honours and a Diploma of Professional studies with distinction at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Jonathan is both an outstanding soloist and accompanist, having performed at the most prestigious venues throughout the UK. He currently combines his busy performing career with teaching and coaching at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where he has been awarded Honorary Membership.
JANINE PARSONS - BIMC
Janine Parsons studied piano at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Frank Wibaut and Professor Malcolm Wilson.
In 1997, Janine appeared as finalist in the Young Accompanist of the Year competition and during the following years worked as a repetiteur for The Birmingham Royal Ballet. As accompanist, she has worked with numerous singers and instrumentalists in concerts and c competitions, including performances broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Shropshire.
KATE THOMPSON - PLATFORM
Kate Thompson enjoys a varied musical life as chamber musician and orchestral pianist, taking her on tours throughout Europe, Japan and Hong Kong.
As orchestral pianist, she has played in many concerts, broadcasts and recordings with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Opera North and RSNO. She has collaborated for many years with Royal Northern Sinfonia in chamber ensembles, also appearing as soloist in Carnival of the Animals, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, as well as concerts in Edinburgh, Bath, Huddersfield and Aldeburgh Festivals.
Kate has collaborated with soloists including Sir Thomas Allen, Bradley Creswick, Guy Johnston and Elisabeth Soderstrom. Recitals in Austria include the Wiener Konzerthaus and Schubert Geburtshaus, as well as broadcasts on ORF. Kate is staff accompanist for Birmingham Junior Conservatoire and official accompanist for National Youth Orchestra auditions.
AFTERNOON PROGRAMME
WELCOME
Alastair Moseley
Chairman of Adjudicators (audition round) and Vice-Chair of The Bromsgrove Intermational Musicians’ Competition
FINALISTS’ PERFORMANCES
The five finalists from the Junior Section will each perform a 10-minute repertoire - Millie Huang (harp), Celia Cahill-Wright (recorder), Aiqi Li (piano), Siyue Huang (cello) and Adrian Tai (piano)
INTERVAL
10 minutes
FINALISTS’ PERFORMANCES
The five finalists from the Senior Section will each perform a 10-minute repertoire - Tom Junde He (piano), Harriet Perfect (voice), Ailish Steele (flute), Lia Iben Matos Wunderlich (cello), Nathaniel Ming Shun Law (oboe)
INTERVAL
10 minutes
AWARDS CEREMONY
Certificates of Commendation presented to all the finalists by Claire Prewer (Senior Section) and Sarah Oliver (Junior Section)
Winners announced by Professor David Saint who will present the First and Second Bursary Awards as they are announced
PLATFORM FINALISTS
CELIA CAHILL-WRIGHT
RECORDER - JUNIOR SECTION
Mudai - F. Yoshimine
Concerto in G Major, RV 443 opus 4/11 Movement 3 Allegro - A. Vivaldi
It’s Summertime - M. Maute
MILLIE HUANG
HARP - JUNIOR SECTION
Impromptu - R. Glière
Spanish Dance No. 1 from “La Vida Breve” - M. de Falla
SIYUE HUANG
CELLO - JUNIOR SECTION
Waltz from The Tale of the Stone Flower, Op.118 - S. Prokofiev
Cello Concertino Op. 132, 1st movement - S. Prokofiev
AIQI LI
PIANO - JUNIOR SECTION
The Cat and the Mouse - A. Copland
Sonata in E major, K.380 - D. Scarlatti
Paganini Etude No. 5 “La Chasse” - F. Liszt
ADRIAN TAI
PIANO - JUNIOR SECTION
Dance in Bulgarian Rhythm No. 6 (No.153 from Mikrokosmos) - B. Bartók
Fantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor, Op. 66 - F. Chopin
TOM JUNDE HE
PIANO - SENIOR SECTION
Grandes études de Paganini, No. 3 in G-sharp minor “La Campanella” - F. Liszt
Allegretto: 3rd movement from Sonata in D minor (‘Tempest’), Op. 31 No. 2 - L. van Beethoven
NATHANIEL MING SHUN LAW
OBOE - SENIOR SECTION
Sonata for Oboe and Piano, 1st movement - F. Poulenc
Four Personalities - ii) White; i) Yellow - A. Morris
HARRIET PERFECT
VOICE - SENIOR SECTION
Una Donna A Quindici Anni - W.A. Mozart
Goodnight Moon - E. Whitacre
AILISH STEELE
FLUTE - SENIOR SECTION
Pièce - J. Ibert
Tango Fantasia - J. Gade
LIA IBEN MATOS WUNDERLICH
CELLO - SENIOR SECTION
Sonata for Solo Cello - Dialogue - G. Ligeti
Polonaise de Concert Op.14 - D. Popper
EVENING PROGRAMME
WELCOME
Alastair Moseley
Vice-Chair of The Bromsgrove Intermational Musicians’ Competition
FINALISTS’ PERFORMANCES
The three finalists of The Bromsgrove will each perform a 25-minute repertoire - Jamie Cochrane (piano), Iohan Coman (violin) and Madeleine Brown (piano)
INTERVAL
30 minutes
AWARDS CEREMONY
Announcement of The Bromsgrove Winner and Presentation of the Winner’s Prize by Professor George Caird, Chairman of the Adjudicators and President of BIMC
Presentation of The Bromsgrove Finalists’ Prizes by Sarah Bruce and Chris Glynn, Adjudicators
BIMC FINALISTS
JAMIE COCHRANE (PIANO)
‘LOS REQUIEBROS’, FROM GOYESCAS - E. GRANADOS
PIANO SONATA NO. 4 ‘VIDA BREVE’ - S. HOUGH
EN AVRIL À PARIS - C. TRENET (TRANSC. WEISSENBERG)
IOHAN COMAN (VIOLIN)
A MAJOR SONATA D.574 1ST MOVEMENT - F. SCHUBERT
POÈME ÉLÉGIAQUE - E. YSAŸE
MADELEINE BROWN (PIANO)
SUITE OF PRELUDES - K. SEROCKI
1. ANIMATO
2. AFFETTUOSO
3. AGITATO
4. TENERAMENTE
5. VELOCE
6. CAPRICCIOSO
7. FURIOSO
SONATA NO.2 IN G-SHARP MINOR, OP.18 - A. SCRIABIN
PREVIOUS WINNERS
1980
1981
KAZIMIERCZUK SOPRANO 1984
PIANO
STRONG PIANO
LAMBROU PIANO
MEYNELL PIANO
DUKES
CROWN BASS BARITONE
YUKIKO NAGANUMA PIANO
1st - 5th June 2027
Please Note: The competition is now biennial
OUR SUPPORTERS
The following Individuals and Organisations have supported the Competitions both financially and practically over the last five years.
Mrs Irene Bartholomew
Mrs Beryl Bellingham
Mr Christopher Bird
Mrs Cindy Black
Mr and Mrs Graham Boyles
Mr Robin Boyt
Mr and Mrs David Condy
Mr and Mrs Michael Cooper
Mr Norman Davies
Mrs Mary Dykes
Mr and Mrs Andrew Harris
Mr and Mrs David Hawkins
Mr Roger Hill
Mr and Mrs Brian Insch
Mr and Mrs Graham Mackenzie
Mr Richard Orchard
Mr Jeremy Patterson
Sir Michael and Lady Joan Perry
Mrs Elizabeth Price
Mr and Mrs Neill Robb
Mr and Mrs John Rogers
Mr and Mrs Giles Sharp
Mr and Mrs Jeremy Sharp
Mr and Mrs Andrew Sherrey
Dr Sue Skidmore
Dr and Mrs Robert Spires
Mr and Mrs Roger Stickland
Dr Jane Stockley
Mrs Ann Tubby
Mr Anthony Turpin
Mrs Edna Turpin
Mrs Ann Warner
Mr Roger Weaver
Mr and Mrs Peter Weston
Dr and Mrs Richard Wilkinson
Mrs Eva Woolf
Mr R.C. Young
Bromsgrove District Council
Bromsgrove School
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Bromsgrove Concerts
Bromsgrove Court Leet
The Elmley Foundation
Bromsgrove Festival
National Trust Hanbury Hall
J.A. Gillett Charitable Trust
The Bromsgrove Society
Helen Rachael Mackaness Trust
Joyce Messenger Trust
LG Harris Trust
mfg solicitors
Nexus Creative
Orchestra of the Swan
St John Ambulance
Three Choirs Festival
Archive Photo: Bromsgrove Messenger 1984
19th and 20th February 2026 For young musicians aged 9 to 17 who live or go to school in the UK
www.bromsgrovecompetition.com www.bromsgroveplatform.com