The National Youth Orchestra of Scotland

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NYOS Staffa Awards 2009

Winner of prestigious music award announced in Edinburgh

 

22 year old Flautist Sarah Ouakrat was announced as the winner of the prestigious NYOS Staffa Award 2009 last night, at a sparkling and nail-biting Final Award Performance, held in the beautiful surroundings of Edinburgh’s Freemasons'  Hall.

 

The Paris born Flautist, who has just finished studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London performed solo pieces by Gabriel Faure, Messian and Debussy.  She was congratulated by the Chairman of the judging panel, Simon Woods (Chief Executive of the RSNO) who said the judges had “enormously enjoyed her performance, which showed exceptional accomplishment and polish in an understated way.”

 

Sarah was presented with a traditional Scottish Quaich in addition to £3,000 prize money which she plans to spend on furthering her career in music.

 

Trumpeter Phillip Cobb and Cellist Stjepan Hauser were awarded second and third prize respectively, with the judges commenting on how “very encouraging it is to see such talent rising through the UK conservatoires.”

 

The NYOS Staffa Award recognizes the talents of the country’s most promising young musicians, supporting them as they embark on their future in music.

 

Simon Woods, Chair of the judges and Chief Executive of the RSNO, said, "The NYOS Staffa Award Final is a very important event in Scotland's music calendar. It is a celebration of the incredibly high level of talent in British music colleges today, and one that will inspire many young people to new heights of musical achievement."

 

The award this year took place as the opening social event for a major international conference on the History of Freemasonry. This event, which takes place over three days, has attracted hundreds of academics, interested in Freemasonry’s fascinating history, to the capital.

 

Sarah Ouakrat

Sarah Ouakrat (1987) studied flute in Paris with Madeleine Chassang and was awarded a gold medal in 2005.  She then began studying with Philippe Bernold in Lyon, where she graduated with first prize in June 2007.  Sarah is now a postgraduate student of William Bennett at the Royal Academy of Music, London.  She has won numerous competitions and often plays with professional orchestras, in chamber music concerts and recitals.  She currently plays with the Zurich Opera House Orchestra.

Sarah with the traditional Scottish quaich

NYOS Staffa Award

The NYOS Staffa Award competition has evolved from the LASMO Staffa Music Award.

 

The LASMO Arts Trust was formed in 1992 with the intention of creating a major annual competition for advanced music students from Conservatoires in the United Kingdom.  Its aim was to identify outstanding performers in all principal music disciplines and assist them towards a professional career.  From its inception, the LASMO Staffa Music Award and Arts Trust was administered by The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland. 

 

Following the end of LASMO's nine successful years of support, The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (NYOS) felt it very important that such a valuable Award should continue.  Therefore in October 2001 NYOS announced the launch of a new music Award, to be known as the NYOS Staffa Award to succeed the LASMO Staffa Music Award, presented for the final time in May 2001.

 

The Staffa Award is open to students from eight music Conservatoires in the UK.  The Principals of the Conservatoires are invited to nominate three students for auditions in London before a panel of musicians. Three candidates are then selected to attend the final awards performance.

 

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Information supplied by National Youth Orchestra of Scotland

 

  The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland

13 Somerset Place

Glasgow

G3 7JT

 

T. 0141 332 8311

F. 0141 332 3915

 

e-mail: pauladuncan@nyos.co.uk

 

 

For further information on concerts click the link below:

The National Youth Orchestra of Scotland

 

CD Release

A new Camerata Scotland CD has just been released, including Haydn's Symphony No. 104 'London' and Beethoven's Symphony No.8. The CD is available on www.nyos.co.uk or by contacting the NYOS office on Telephone:  0141 332 8311

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