Isobel Daws wins BBC Young Musician Brass Category Final
BBC Young Musician has been showcasing the very best British classical music talent for the past 40 years. The very first winner in 1978 was trombonist Michael Hext, whilst Peter Moore won the event in 2012. Following her success in the Brass Final, televise on Friday evening, Isobel Daws will be hoping she can follow in their footsteps as she progresses to the semi-final stages of the prestigious competition.
Isobel started on the cornet at the age of three and then moved on to the trombone. She was one of the category finalists at the BBC Young Musician 2014, and last year won the BBC Radio 2 Brass Award. She studies at Chetham's School of Music, is Principal Trombone for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and also plays Principal Trombone for Friary Guildford Brass Band when she can.
Isobel had strong competition from the other four finalists; Trumpeter and fellow member of the NYBBGB, Will Thomas (17), Bass trombonist Michaias Berlouis (18), French horn player Annemarie Federle (15) and trombonist Sam Dye (18).
Those viewers fortunate enough to have seen the talented young brass musicians will have noted a very familiar face on their screens introducing the five finalists, as joining Josie d'Arby at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire was Besson euphonium star David Childs, himself a finalist in the competition in 2000.
Commenting on the result David said, "The quality in this brass final really was superb and each young musician really should be very proud of their contribution. I was particularly impressed with Isobel's playing; her musical maturity and confident technical playing made her a very worthy winner."
The judging panel consists of two distinguished figures from the brass-playing community: Simon Cowen, principal trombonist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and Simon Cox, trumpeter, arranger and publisher. Joining them was Chair of the Panel, composer, performer and writer Kerry Andrew.
Isobel will now be aiming for a place in the Concerto Final which is to be held at Symphony Hall, Birmingham Sunday May 13th where the performers will be accompanied by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Wigglesworth.
Follow the link below to watch Isobel's winning performance:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p065dnl7
