We’re delighted to announce the winners of the Young Festival Critics competition for 2022 – they are:
5-8 Years Old Category
Teddy Cox, Brimpton School
9-11 Years Old Category
Freya Delany Thomas, Inkpen School
12-18 Years Old
Ethan Lam, Park House School
Each of the winners has won a free taster session lesson at Hogan Music, and a workshop for their class to be delivered in the new school year. Congratulations!
The winning reviews can be seen below:
I was delighted to join the jazz workshop last Saturday.
I was very nervous when I heard one of the staff told me to sit on the front row. My mom and dad were not sitting next to me (i thought we were sitting together!). The staff comforted me by saying “you could do anything you want, no pressure at all. You don’t have to perform anything if you think you are not ready.”. I’m a bit relieved tbh.
When I was told to go on the stage, I was still nervous but felt better as many of us, young music players joined together. I felt good as the workshop started with some warm up games with Julian and his guys. It helped everyone break the ice and ease the pressure.
It was my first time visiting the Corn Exchange and joined the music workshop here as I’m new to the UK. Julian and Mark were friendly and they encouraged me to have my solo after a few rounds of warm up pieces. It made me feel a great achievement and trust my ability.
What I like the participation most is the fill in solo part. It’s an instant communication of my music with others. It’s fun and challenging at the same time. I think the participation could be better with different skill groups. Similar skill level ones could be joined as one group. Then advanced ones could have a harder music challenge and the less advanced ones could be less stressful.
I wish I could join more workshops like this. And mom said free coffee is a plus on an early Saturday morning.
Ethan Lam, Park House School