BBC Young Musician 2016 announces Jazz Award finalists

The biennial competition reveals a shortlist of five

Published: January 28, 2016 at 2:26 pm

Having released its main competition shortlist earlier this week, BBC Young Musician has confirmed details of its 2016 Jazz Award finalists.

With an age range of 15-21, the 2016 finalists include two sibling competitors, Alexandra Ridout (on trumpet) and her brother Tom (on sax and recorder). Saxophonist Tom Smith returns, after being a finalist at the 2014 inaugural even, and there are two pianists, the oldest competitor Elliott Sansom (21) and the youngest, Noah Stoneman (15).

The final will take place on 12 March at the Royal Welsh College of Music’s Dora Stoutzker Hall in Cardiff.

Saxophonist Alexander Bone, the winner of the first competition in 2014, will be performing at the final. Bone is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music and he performed at the BBC Proms in the Park last September.

The five finalists will be accompanied by the Gwilym Simcock Trio. Simcock was the first jazz musician to take part in the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme (2006-08) and is now one of the leading pianists in the UK jazz scene. He will also be mentoring the finalists as they rehearse.

I'm really looking forward to working with the exciting young musicians who've made it to the final,’ says Simcock. ‘Last time around it was an absolute pleasure to develop the music with the finalists. I know this time around will be just as great and I can't wait to hear them all play.’

The entrants were invited to submit a video recording of a performance in any jazz style, by a deadline last November, before being whittled down to a second round shortlist of 25. They competed in front of adjudicators at Cardiff’s Hoddinott Hall earlier this month before the five finalists were selected.

The shortlist for the final is:

Alexandra Ridout – Trumpet (17 years old)

Tom Ridout – Saxophone and Recorder (21 years old)

Tom Smith – Saxophone (20 years old)

Noah Stoneman – Piano (15 years old)

Elliott Sansom – Piano (21 years old)

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