The Wolverhampton Area round of the 2026 Rotary Young Musician Competition was attended by a full audience at the Music Hub in Graisley Hill on Sunday, February 8th when 11 vocalists and instrumentalists again demonstrated the wealth of musical talent there is in our city.
Adjudicators Sarah Baker and Robyn Davies MBE had a difficult task to select the winners who will go forward to the next round, which is the District Final to be held at the same venue on February 22nd.
After some considerable deliberation, they announced the winners to be 15 year old Davina Dennis who gave a stunning rendition of the ‘Concerto for Tenor Saxophone’ by Jean-Baptiste Singelee and ‘Nightclub 1960’ by Astor Piazzzolla. Davina attends Wolverhampton Grammar School and frequently plays in orchestras and jazz bands around the area.
The winning vocalist was 15 year old Amelia Donoghue, a student at Tettenhall College, who thrilled the audience with her selection of ‘The Lady’s Improving’ by Matthew Skiar, ‘Last Midnight’ by Stepern Sondheim and ‘Warwick Avenue’ by James Hogarth, Aimee Duffy and Francis White.
In presenting the winners’ trophies, the President of the Rotary club of The City of Wolverhampton, John Hollingsworth congratulated all the competitors, commenting that they had provided the audience with an amazing display of musical talent.
This competition, one of the many ways in which Rotary provides great opportunities for young people, has enabled large numbers of talented musicians and singers to perform in front of an audience and has, in the past, resulted in at least one BBC Young Musician Of The Year.
PDG Richard Green