Music / Classical Music
Review: BBC Young Musician 2024 – ‘The night Bristol crowned the next star of classical music’
No superlatives are sufficient to capture the ‘roof-raising’ performances of the three finalists – Jacky Zhang, Shlomi Shahaf, and Ryan Wang – who took the expectant audience on a musical odyssey at Bristol Beacon as they competed for the coveted title that has been awarded to classical music’s future stars for over five decades.
BBC Young Musician 2024 was undoubtedly a field day for record keepers. Bristol hosted the prestigious event. For the first time in its 46-year history, two pianists were featured in the final, and they chose the same composition to showcase their musicianship and erudition. Furthermore, all compositions featured were Russian in origin.
After battling it out in the provisional rounds, it came down to three extraordinary young musicians to wow the judges with the help of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under the baton of Ben Gernon.
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This year’s judges and finalists, from left to right: Jess Gillam, Jacky Zhang, Shlomi Shahaf, Ryan Wang, Alexis Ffrench, Alison Balson, Hannah Catherine Jones
The recording, taking place on September 24 but only televised on October 20, was underway, and the host, Jess Gillam, repeatedly pleaded with the audience to resist the temptation of sharing the winner of the competition, which has been the fertile ground for stellar classical musicians including Emma Johnson, Natalie Clein, Nicola Benedetti, and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
The proceedings for the grand final kicked off with Jacky Zhang’s rendition of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, followed by Shlomi Shahaf’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, and concluded with another rendition of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 by Ryan Wang.
Without a hint of false equivalence, each finalist could be deemed the winner under different parameters. They all performed their pieces with panache and finesse, paying utmost attention to detail.
Their musicianship was never in doubt, but how differently did they execute their performances? Even the Rachmaninov concerto performed by Zhang and Wang could not have been more different, with each performance shining in its own right.
Zhang’s rendition had an air of measured studiousness, much akin to a performance by Alfred Brendel, where the audience feels that the piece is composed on the spot, phrase by phrase, like a bricklayer stacking one brick after another or a sculptor carefully chiselling a marble block stroke by stroke to reveal a hidden sculpture.
Zhang was enveloped in the moment, his entire being consumed by the performance. The long passages were played with measured exactness, resisting the temptation to burst into a paroxysm of self-indulgence. In the second movement of the concerto, Zhang proved he is a poet of the piano by playing those luscious lines with control and finesse.
In contrast, Wang’s performance of the same composition was markedly different. There was an assured flamboyance about Wang’s performance, where the audience felt he could perhaps play the piece backward after a deep sleep.
The lucky audience may have caught the first glimpse of a rising conductor in the mould of Daniel Barenboim or Vladimir Ashkenazy, as Wang was not content with merely playing the notes but actively conducting the orchestra with his long, piercing gaze and head movements, despite the esteemed conductor on the podium. The technically difficult third movement looked effortless. The arpeggios were gliding, and the long crescendo lines were seamless and measured.
The two pianists in the final coincidentally chose the same piece to showcase, with Ryan Wang performing the Rachmaninov concerto second
The second performance of the night, featuring the Israeli musician Shahaf, reminded the audience that this was, after all, a competition involving young musicians. With jet-black hair combed back and an untucked white shirt exuding the vibes of Jay from the Inbetweeners, Shahaf gave the impression of a young person who might enjoy a kickabout in the field.
But any resemblance to Jay ended there as he wielded his violin with the assurance of a master fiddler, perhaps giving a glimpse of the ebullient Nigel Kennedy. Each pizzicato and arpeggio was neatly crafted with a silky finish. The second movement was a treat, with its meditative reverie, which Shahaf crafted with the maturity of a seasoned music maker.
How do you choose between these highly talented young musicians with distinctly different styles? The judging panel, consisting of trumpeter Alison Balsom, pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench, and multi-instrumentalist and broadcaster Hannah Catherine Jones, had the unenviable task of crowning the next BBC Young Musician.
While the judges deliberated, the audience was treated to a double serving of the previous winner Jordan Ashman, who wowed the audience with his dazzling command of percussion. The 20-year-old from Cambridge won the prestigious competition back in 2022.
The judges’ decision was unanimous: Ryan Wang. Wang’s showmanship impressed both the judges and the audience, who gave him a standing ovation. 17 year old, Wang, originally from Vancouver, Canada, stole the night.
The pianist, who started playing the instrument at the age of four, has gone on to win several accolades, including First Prize at the Animato International Chopin Competition in February. Perhaps his best performance to date was saved for Bristol, where he was crowned the BBC Young Musician 2024.
Speaking afterward, Wang said: “This competition experience has been so amazing, and I have been so fortunate to meet such incredible musicians. I am so excited to continue my musical journey with audiences and hope to see you all in concert someday!”
17 year old Ryan Wang, originally from Canada, was this year’s winner of the prestigious title
All photos: BBC/ Betsan Evans
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