Joseph Walker Wins The Inaugural Christ College Instrumentalist Of The Year Competition

At the end of a high quality competition, expertly adjudicated by Christopher Horner, the awards were as follows:

• Prize for best performance of a piece written before 1814 – Joseph Walker (Bassoon)
• Prize for best performance of a piece written after 1914 – shared between Doug Evans (‘cello and guitar) and Lloyd Donovan (percussion)
• Prize for Christ College Instrumentalist of the Year – Joseph Walker

Joseph is 17 years old and is studying Music, History, English and French at AS Level. He has played the bassoon since the age of 10. He plays in the South Powys and Powys Youth Orchestras and has also performed with various adult amateur orchestras including the Lampeter Chamber Orchestra and Abergavenny Symphony Orchestra. He also enjoys singing and is a member of the Chapel Choir. His other interests include rugby, fell running and hill walking. Jospeh has recently bought himself a new Adler bassoon.

Joseph’s chosen pieces were Corrento for Bassoon in B-flat major, KV191, 2nd movement by Mozart, and Filutek’s Adventure by Paciorkiewicz.

Our congratulations also go to the following finalists who all gave very brave and musicl performances in what was a high quality competition:

• David Dai – alto saxaphone
• Rosie Evans – flute
• Holly Gedge – ‘cello

Please click here for images of the event.

Adjudicator Biography

Christopher Horner was born in London and studied violin at the ILEA Centre for Young Musicians, the Royal Academy of Music, Surrey University, and as a postgraduate in Barcelona. His principal teachers were Henry Rubin and Eva Graubin. Christopher was invited to teach at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 1999, becoming Deputy Head of Strings the following year until 2009 when he returned to a freelance career. He is active as a recitalist and chamber musician performing throughout the UK, Europe and Southern Africa. His regular duo partner is Fazliddin Husanov, who also teaches at RWCMD. He has worked with ensembles include Soundwaves (South Africa) and the PM Ensemble in Cardiff, as well as having much experience as a violinist in both chamber and symphony orchestras. Christopher has also given the UK premières of the complete works for violin and piano by the Lithuanian composer Juozas Gruodis whose work he is due to record for CD with John Lenehan.