ROTARY CLUBS MUSIC AWARDS

St Cedd's School

29.01.10

I had no idea the devil played the banjo. Though I suppose we shouldn't be surprised.

Lucifer's Banjo, a Study in Repeated Notes, composed in 1997 by Martin Butler, was one of the pieces that won this competition for the talented pianist Sasha Millwood, impressing the adjudicator with his tight rhythms. It was certainly a spectacularly energetic piece, making an effective contrast with the Beethoven Sonata which Sasha played first.

The standard of the entries was remarkably high. Three singers took part, all very talented, and well served by the warmer acoustic of St Cedd's London Road. I loved April Goss's Schubert, Jessica Hope's Schumann, and Oliver El-Holiby's Purcell, immaculately sung from memory.

Samantha Davis played a stylish black alto sax, Cara Chan, another pianist, gave us a beautiful Mozart Sonata, Leslie-Jean Stowe, violin, contrasted a stately Handel Sonata with an aggressive Hungarian Dance by Rachmaninov.

Runner-up on the night, Josephine Wilkins impressed Ann Griggs, the adjudicator, with the sense of freedom she brought to a colourful Fantaisie for flute by Gabriel Fauré.

Sasha will now go on to compete at Regional Level in a competition to be held in Chelmsford Cathedral on February 20.