Needlemakers' Woodwind Prize 2015
Sunday 8 March 2015
The 25th Needlemakers’ Company Woodwind Prize was held at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on 5th March 2015.
There were many enthusiastic entrants from whom the following finalists were selected:
- Euncho Yeom – recorders
- Mark Taylor – flute
- Elisabeth Flett – recorders
- Guy Passey – saxophones
The event was organised by Michal Rogalski and the competitors were introduced by Richard Benjafield, Head of Wind, Brass and Percussion.
We were very fortunate to have John Harle as our Adjudicator for the second time. John is a composer and saxophonist who is well qualified as he created history at The Royal College of Music with a final graduation mark of 100%! He went on to launch a major international soloist career encompassing concerto appearances across the globe with the world's most distinguished conductors.With over half a million record sales within the classical genre and with Grammy and Mercury Music nominations, he has changed the face of the classical saxophone with his charismatic performances on disc and in the concert hall. He is the most-recorded classical saxophonist in the world on major international record labels.
We listened to four very different performances in a wide range of styles: melodic, technical, beautiful, inspiring and challenging! All performers displayed amazing talent and skill as true artists. We were glad we had an adjudicator as it seemed a truly impossible task to choose a winner.
After the performances John and Richard retired to confer and compare notes. John returned after a few minutes to give his decision. He critically acclaimed each performance, commenting on the technical elements, the personal artistic interpretations and how they made their music positively engage with the audience. He then explained how each piece of music personally affected his own emotions, using a wide variety of adjectives and praising all performances. However he finally selected Mark Taylor as the winner, describing Mark’s ‘Touching the Ether’ by Ian Clarke as ‘magical’ and Mark’s interpretation of ‘Chant de Linos’ by André Jolivet as ‘reaching another level’ and ‘it blew me away’.
The Master thanked all finalists and the School for organizing the event and then presented Mark with a cheque.
To win the Needlemakers prize is highly prestigious and to reach the final is seen by students as a very important addition to their C.V. Previous winners have gone on to hold key positions in national orchestras, West End Shows and to hold positions as professors of music at the UK’s Conservatoires including the Guildhall School of Music.
After the competition the Needlemakers invited the finalists, their accompanists, the adjudicator and the Head of the Department to the local Baracca restaurant for a delicious and very convivial supper to conclude a very entertaining evening.
