Fine music 102.5 announces young performer of the year

Fifteen-year-old violinist Grace Clifford has been named Fine Music 102.5 Young Performer of the Year following her performance of Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy Op 25 and Debussy’s Beau Soir at the finals held in the Sydney Conservatorium’s Verbrugghen Hall on Saturday 7 September.

Her appearance was all the more impressive for the fact that she was still recovering from a severe upper respiratory tract infection and had come very close to forfeiting. Organiser Judy Deacon said: “Had it been 24 hours earlier, she would not have made it.” 

Winner Grace said of her performance: “It has gone quite well really. I really enjoyed it, and it is always great to find place where you can perform.”

As Fine Music Young Performer of the Year, she has won $5,000 from the Family Frank Foundation, and will represent NSW in the national finals in Brisbane on 15 November. She has also achieved another opportunity to appear in public, this time in a major performance with the North Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2014. She will take the stage as a soloist under conductor Steven Hillinger, who was an adjudicator of the Award. He said of Grace’s winning performance: “She makes everything sound so easy. Her expressiveness and musical phrasing were beautiful and the character of the pieces really came through. She told us a story through her performance.”

Hillinger was delighted with all four of the final contestants and made these comments following the event:

Jonathon Ramsay: runner up and winner of $2,000 from Sydney Piano World: “Jonathon is a technical and musical whizz on the euphonium. Not only is his fast playing incredibly accurate, clear and consistent, it is incredibly musical. There was always a sense of direction and line in his playing while also still coming across as light and playful. In the slow passages his sound was warm and round as he sang the long musical lines through his instrument. “

Antonia Berg“Antonia had the facility to play with a soft, delicate sound or a full, rich sound as required by the repertoire. Her beautiful lyrical playing through phrases created wonderfully musical shapes.”  Antonia departs for England today to further her studies at the famed Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Pianist Jeremy So, who was her accompanist is departing for England with her, but will continue his studies at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music.

Paul Cheung: “Paul played with a great clarity of rhythm and finesse and managed to achieve a wonderful balance between his left and right hands, so noticeable when the melody and accompaniment swapped between them. He had wonderful control over his dynamics and played with great energy.”

Grace became the station 30th Young Performer in the competition which has been running annually since 1984.  

Coordinator of the youth program, Judy Deacon said:  “Yet again we had an exceptional standard of performance and the competition itself is highly regard in the classical music community. The prize money helps artists further their education and the fact that semi- final and final performances are broadcast on Fine Music 102.5 means that from this competition alone we have been able to give exposure to the talents 13 wonderful musicians and provide them with recording experience.”

Fine Music 102.5 also runs the Young Composer of the Year and Kruger Scholarship programs as well as supporting other organisations’ events such as those of the Sydney Eisteddfod and the IFAC Australian Singing Competition.

The adjudicators for this year’s Young Performer of the Year Final were renowned conductors Steven HIllinger, Phillip Chu and Simon Kenway. The Hon Gabrielle Upton MP opened the event and station patron Simon Tedeschi presented the winner’s prize.