Every seat was taken at Wolverhampton Music School on Sunday, February 9^th for the District 1210 final of the 2025 Rotary Young Musician Competition. 7 clubs across the District had sent forward  winning instrumentalists and vocalists from their own heats to compete for a place in the next round, which will be the cluster final on March 9^th, prior to the national final on March 29^th, due to be held at New City College, Romford, Essex.

Bususu Chen with DG Jane Cooper and Dudley President Graham Dean.

Owen White with DG Jane Cooper and Bilston President ‘Bobby’ Singh.

Adjudicators Huw Daniel MA and Ian Stephenson confessed they had  difficult choices to make in view of the outstanding performances given by the young musicians. After considerable discussion they decided that 16 year old pianist Bususu Chen, sponsored by the Rotary club of Dudley was the winning instrumentalist and vocalist 17 year old Owen White, sponsored by Rotary in Bilston the winning vocalist.

Bususu Chen’s programme comprised ‘Prelude from Partita’ by Bach, ‘Etude no.7’ by Chopin and ‘Mercutio’ by Prokofiev. In his feedback Huw Daniel gave high praise to her musicology and phrasing. Ian Stephenson made particular mention of Owen White’s stage presence and ability to draw in the audience with his renderings of ‘On The Street Where You Live’ by Lerner and Loewe, ‘Se Vuol Ballare’ by Mozart and ‘Stars’ by Schonberg, Kretzmer and Bougill.

The remarkable ensemble.

In presenting the trophies, District Governor Jane Cooper thanked all the competitors for treating the audience to an outstanding afternoon of entertainment which had shown the remarkable talents of young musicians from right across the District.

Richard Green,

Organiser, District 1210 Rotary Young Musician Competition.

16 young musicians thrilled the audience at Wolverhampton Music Hub on Sunday, 26^th of January as they competed in the first round of the national Rotary Young Musician Competition for places in the next round – which is the District Final to be held on February 9^th.

Adjudicators Sarah Baker MA and Jack Apperley MA confessed they had extremely difficult decisions to make in selecting the winners in each of the instrumental and vocalist categories.

After considerable deliberation they decided that 14 year old Lily Cooper, who attends Wolverhampton Girls High School was the winning instrumentalist with her performance of Grieg’s sonata in E and the traditional folk song ‘Black Eyes,’ a very familiar melody.

Lilly leads the second violins for Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra and is a percussionist for Wolverhampton Youth Wind Orchestra.

Young Musician 2025 – Wolverhampton – Owen White receiving his certificate from President Lorraine McCarthy

The winning vocalist was 17 year old Owen White, a pupil of local singing teacher Brenda Arnold with his renditions of ‘On The Street Where You Live,’ by Lerner and Loewe, ‘Se Vuol Ballare’ by Mozart and ‘Stars’ by Schonberg, Kretzmer and Boubil.

Owen attends Birmingham Ormiston Academy and has appeared in several local amateur musicals. He works part time at Sainsburys where he enjoys singing in the aisles!

The event was sponsored by several local Rotary clubs.The President of the City of Wolverhampton club, Lorraine McCarthy, as she presented the winners trophies said ‘it is extremely rewarding to realise and enjoy the superb array of young musical talent that we have in and around the City.’

Photos show the whole vocalists and instrumentalist ensembles.

PDG Richard Green