TALENTED young pianists from schools and colleges across the South West recently came together at Wellington School Music School to compete in the school’s Steinway Piano Competition 2015.

The competition, an extension of Wellington’s accreditation as an All Steinway School, is now in its fourth year.

This year’s cohort was especially strong, with 30 youngsters taking part and no fewer than 14 young pianists in the Advanced Class (G7+) alone.

The main classes took place during the morning and afternoon and three players from each were then selected to take part in the evening final.

The adjudicators – Simon Young, professor at Trinity College of Music, London and Tim Waller, head of Instrumental Studies at Taunton School – gave supportive, encouraging feedback, and the benefit of their considerable experience as pianists and teachers.

The selected finalists gave their all in the evening, stepping up their game and playing their programmes on the Steinway flagship piano - the model D Grand.

A wonderful feast of piano repertoire enthralled and enchanted the audience.

The three deserving winners were: Darcy Anderson (Foundation) and Marco Leong (Intermediate), both from Wellington School and, in the hotly contested Advanced Class, Valerie Tsoi (Advanced) from Sherborne Girls School, who performed a highly effective, well-chosen programme of Schubert’s Impromptu in Gb major and the 3rd movement of Ravel’s Sonatine.

“It was a truly inspiring day, said Andrew Trewhella, director of Music at Wellington School.

“The pianos in the Music School resounded all day to the wonderful sounds of talented young players, warming up and performing - just as it should be. It’s a joy to watch this competition continue to grow, year on year.”