The St Cecilia Youth Music Scholarships are awarded each year to exceptional young music talents from the South Coast. Twelve St Cecilia Youth Music Scholarships were awarded on Sunday, November 18, following a live performance at a concert by the award winners. The concert highlighted the music talents of the young in our region ― from classical and contemporary to instrumental and vocal.
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Siblings from two families were of special note: Amelie and Luca Ziino, and Dejan and Nik Kanazir.
Nine-year-old Amelie Ziino, who plays violin and piano, and who delighted the audience with her engaging style and technical ability, was awarded Third Prize Junior Classical with her piece on violin, Melodie for Violin and Piano by Christoph W. Gluck. Amelie was accompanied by her brother Luca on piano. Luca Ziino went on to win First Prize Senior Classical with his exceptional playing on piano of Three Bagatelles by Carl Vine. Luca's fluid technique and powerful playing was remarkable, and deservedly warranted the accolades of First Prize.
Maria de Rocco, founder of the St Cecilia Scholarships 23 years ago, presented Nik Kanazir with Second Prize Senior Classical for his intricate and expressive style on violin. Nik played the technically challenging Csárdás by Vittorio Monti with great expression and was accompanied beautifully by Mia Mrsic on piano. Nik's brother Dejan Kanazir won Second Prize Junior Classical with his outstanding and elegant piano playing of the First Movement of Clementi's Sonata Op 36 No. 6.
Both sets of siblings are certainly talents to watch, and all four are to be commended on their well deserved prizes.
First Prize Junior Classical was won by Chantelle Bennett on violin, playing the well-known Méditation from the opera Thaïs by Jules Massenet with winning style, panache and technique, and accompanied by Mia Mrsic.
Guitars were “the go” when First Prize Junior Contemporary was won by Luke Shooks who played Lenny by Stevie Ray Vaughan in top form on electric guitar, accompanied by Peter Rich; and First Prize Senior Contemporary was won by Jack Gallen who played the Pink Panther Theme by Henry Mancini with great flair on his acoustic guitar.
At the concert, 12 performers were awarded with scholarships ranging from $100 to $1000 to go towards furthering their studies. Two past contestants who won scholarships were guest performers at the concert; Chloe Watts, who is now studying a Bachelor of Music Education at the University of Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and Joanna Eltherington, who is studying a Bachelor of Music Studies at the Australian Institute of Music. Both said what an honour it was to be invited back to play at the St Cecilia Concert which has helped financially with their tertiary education.
Full results of the 2018 St Cecilia Youth Scholarship::
Senior Classical: 1.Luca Ziino (piano), 2.Nikola Kanizir (violin), 3.Luke Bowen (Piano).
Senior Contemporary: 1.Jack Gallen (Guitar), 2.Sylvia Williams (vocal), 3. Molly Burrows (Piano).
Junior Classical: 1. Chantelle Bennett (violin), 2. Dejan Kanizir (Piano), 3. Amelie Ziino (Violin)
Junior Contemporary: 1.Luke Shooks (guitar), 2. Stella Lloyd-Jones (Vocal), 3. Jessica Maher (vocal).
