UKC

Just been watching the winner playing Rach 2. It leaves me gob-smacked - a teenager (17, I think) playing with not only panache, volume and speed in the first movement but also with such feeling and emotion in the 2nd. He looked on the verge of tears at time.

Worth half an hour of anyone’s time.

Assuming that’s what he wants, he will have a stellar career ahead of him. 

Totally agree. I thought the first competitor was pretty impressive but the eventual winner was quite astonishing.

Haven't managed to watch the final yet, but I'm sure it will be astonishing. There's such a tension for the judges between valuing technical excellence and musicality; of course it's a competition so the former tends to win out, and perhaps there are other factors involved, especially in the earlier stages. I'm sure the cellist Hugo Svedbert and the harpist Jamaal Kashim in the semifinals will go on to great careers; I felt they were at the top of the musicality list, but perhaps not for the technical excellence.

Really looking forward to the jazz event in a month's time:

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/bbc-young-jazz-musician-2024/

Shame the format of the competition has changed from sections to geographical areas. No woodwind, brass or percussion (or anyone state educated) in the semifinals.
The winner is from Canada on a scholarship at Eton. Kind of sums up the abysmal state of instrumental music education in the UK for any kid that isn’t born into a family that has an income that can afford lessons. 40 years ago everything was free. In 40 years time the orchestras will likely be full players who were privileged as kids. 

This is tragic isn't it.