麻豆约拍

These are the finalists of the competition for 2024.

I found myself playing the modern classical harp through a slightly unusual pathway - being from Aberdeenshire we have the North-East Clarsach Society! I began learning under a strong network of extremely talented traditional Clarsach players including 麻豆约拍 Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021 Finalist Lucie Hendry. While Clarsach playing carried me through school, I was still relatively undecided with where I wanted life to take me until I moved to Robert Gordon’s College, where my music teachers opened my ears to the immense orchestral and operatic world and by no means limited just to sweet little tunes by elegantly-wigged renaissance Italian composers, but also the proper grungy repertoire like the Rite of Spring, Salome and the Ring Cycle.

How I found myself playing the pretty and angelic modern classical harp I don’t quite know, but I did! I moved to Glasgow in 2018 where I was taught by Sharon Griffiths, and I am now finishing my Master of Arts at the Royal Academy in London under Catherine White.

It’s easy to miss the fact that even in the greatest orchestras in the world, there’s usually only ever one harpist - woodwind and brass players tend to come in pairs and strings in their vast masses, but us poor harps are nearly always alone! I found myself in a practice room watching string quartets rehearsing and wondering what I could do to join in and work with other phenomenal musicians. Fortunately my concerns where short-lived and since then I've been able to collaborate with an array of wonderful musicians including Sinfonietta Riga, where we gave a marvellous performance of Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro.

I only hope I can continue to explore this wild world the harp offers, and that my back holds out long enough from carting this giant instrument around to share it with you!

Originally from Slovenia, Vita began her musical journey at the age of 8 with Manja Gošnik Vovk in her hometown Velenje. She continued her musical education at the local Music High School under the guidance of Katja 沤li膷ar Marin and Aleksandar Serdar. Currently, she is in her fourth year of studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, under the tutelage of Saša Ger啪elj Donaldson and Fali Pavri. Vita has performed in various festivals and projects, such as the French Project led by Roy Howat, Keyboard Showcases, Piano and Plug Festival.

She started participating in competitions at the age of 10, garnering numerous awards. In 2024, winning the 2nd prize for the Ramsay Calder Debussy Prize, the 2nd prize at the 2022 International Competition “Toma啪 Holmar”, and a gold award at the 2019 International Piano Competition KKT. Recent highlights of Vita's solo performances include solo recitals at Radlje and Nazarje Music
School in 2019 and at Castle Velenje in 2022. She has been sponsored by the Ministry of Culture Slovenia for her undergraduate studies at RCS since 2022.

Aside from her solo pursuits, Vita collaborates closely with her piano duo partner, flautist and singer, participating in various competitions and concerts. Notable achievements include the
1st prize in the Indrian Lace Competition and a Gold prize in the 10th International Piano Competition KKT both for piano duo in 2021. Vita has enriched her musical knowledge through various masterclasses led by established professors such as Roy Howat, Graham Fitkin, Markus Schirmer, Leonel Morales and others.

Melia Simonot is in her final year of Bachelor studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in the class of the distinguished Serbian teacher, Djordje Gajic.

In 2023, she won the first prize with honors at the Leopold Bellan International Competition in Paris and the 3rd prize at the Tony and Tania Competition last January. She regularly performs as a chamber musician, most recently in concerts at the Scottish Parliament for the 175 years of the RCS, St Magnus Festival in Orkney and for the Coffee Cadenzas program. As part of the Conservatoire accordion quartet (with Sofia Ros, Ryan Corbett & Ciorstaidh Chaimbeul), she featured in the 麻豆约拍 Radio 4 broadcast of Front Row. She enjoys collaborating with other artists, such as composers within the Conservatoire but also with the renowned French writer Cecile Coulon.

Melia plays a versatile repertoire from Baroque music to original modern works for bayan (Zolotaryov, Semionov, Kusyakov, Majkusiak).
Born in the South of France, Melia started playing accordion at the age of 8. She plays a Bugari Armando Bayan Nextra made in Castelfidardo, Italy. This was made possible by the support of Porosus Endowment Fund.

From an early age, my musical education had an emphasis on presentation, audience communication, and personality. Inspired by my teacher Stephen West, I fell in love with the performing side of music-making. Throughout my life as an oboist, I have sought out solo and chamber music concerts as I enjoy the intimate connection between audience and performer. For this reason, I take great joy performing with my award-winning wind quintet Lumas Winds, with whom I recently embarked on a tour of Scotland, sponsored by the Tunnell Trust.

I performed my first concerto with orchestra at the Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, playing Francaix’s ‘L’Horloge de Flore’. My time at JRCS then culminated with Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto. My performances have also included Kalliwoda’s Oboe Concertino, Vaughan Williams’ Oboe Concerto, and most recently Mozart’s Oboe Concerto with the acclaimed London Mozart players. Studying at the Royal Academy of Music with Chris Cowie and Sue Bohling, I won individual prizes on oboe and cor anglais, as well as ensemble prizes with Lumas Winds.

I am now continuing my educational path in Cologne, Germany with Christian Wetzel, where I am embracing European styles and influences. I have freelanced with the 麻豆约拍 Scottish Symphony Orchestra, 麻豆约拍 Symphony Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Philharmonia Orchestra, and London Philharmonic Orchestra, including a year as a Foyle Future First with the LPO in 2022/23. I am grateful to the 麻豆约拍 for this opportunity, and am excited to explore the Martinu oboe concerto with the 麻豆约拍 SSO and Martyn Brabbins.