BBC Young Musician 2022

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Is anybody else watching? I didn't bother with the strings, but have enjoyed the woodwind and have the brass on now. The format does always remind me a bit of Crufts though.

It does make me wish I'd practised more... if I'm being honest I should still do more practice!

Yes! Love it. Feel slightly inadequate at the mums who are accompanying their kids too. Nerves of steel.

I have enjoyed the performances enormously. However I do get a teeny bit weirded out by the competitive element. I know competitions are very much a thing throughout classical music at all levels so it's my problem not theirs. But they're all fabulous and so much of the judgment is subjective.

Yes I've watched a couple of them, but couldn't watch them all - will try to watch the final though.

No semi-final this year, which I think is good; the past few have had an extra round in there where 5 are whittled down to 3, and it seems a bit unnecessary.

I wish it weren't relegated to an hour on BBC4 where you don't even hear the entire performances, or the commentators are talking over the clips. I know I could watch it on iPlayer, but it would just be nice to have more of it shown properly. I like hearing the commentary afterwards about what the judges liked or didn't like, as they are all so good that I have no real idea!!

I watched the piano semi-final. Awesome! No it didn’t make me wish I’d have practised more because I could never have played like these young people if I’d have practised 24/7 all my life. Everyone should have been a winner but the blind laddie who won was a remarkable pianist.

However I do get a teeny bit weirded out by the competitive element. I know competitions are very much a thing throughout classical music at all levels so it's my problem not theirs.

I took part in music/drama festivals when I was younger so that seems quite normal to me. If you have a local one, you should go along and watch one day to see what you think! Tickets are usually cheap and you'll hear some great performers of all ages.

Yes we do wish we could give them all prizes. Unfortunately classical music is a highly competitive field and everything revolves around competition.

Yes I enjoyed it too. Looking forward to the final. I have extra interest as one of the finalists is a friend of a relative of mine.

I was pleased with that result. They were all superb, but I was so impressed by him! And his interview afterwards was lovely too.

I was hoping for the pianist! I am never keen on percussion concerts, although I agree that he was energetic and seemed to be just what the judges were looking for, so well done to him. They were all great.

I loved the flautist, I thought she interacted with the audience brilliantly. There were some sections of the percussion where I just couldn't look away though, and like you I wouldn't say I'd ever think of booking to go to concert for a percussion concerto.

I think I might also have a little crush on Anna Lapwood and her legging collection.

@MapleLeafForever did you hear the longer performances on Radio 3 at lunchtimes last week? They were Tuesday to Friday at 1pm iirc. Obviously just sound, but you did get whole pieces from each category rather than snippets. You can hear them all again on BBC Sounds. This was the first one

For those who wanted to see the full performances, apparently you can do so if you go to the Young Musician BBC page as opposed to iPlayer which just shows the highlights.

I've seen the places you can watch the full performances, though I haven't had time to do it yet - but what I thought was disappointing was that it wasn't shown like that as mainstream (or even on BBC4!!). everything has to be just highlights to keep it entertaining, with broadcasters talking over top and clips and interviews and stuff.

I was pleased that the final did show all the performances in full

they were all so very good. great to see so much talent and drive and enjoyment.

for me, the most technically accomplished performance was Sofia (flute). But Jaren's (viola) musicality was exceptional. Such beautiful phrasing and amazing connection with the orchestra. But the Walton is very much up my street musically so I'm sure that affected my objectivity.

However any one of them would have been a worthy winner, and it's great to have Jordan there from the state sector, which is so underrepresented at the higher levels in classical music.

Exceptional talent this year (as always). Impossible to pick a winner really.