The Centre for Music Performance is delighted to announce the winners of the University of Cambridge’s annual Concerto Competition.
Clarinettist Lola Frisby Williams (an undergraduate student at Gonville & Caius College) and violinist Imaan Kashim (an undergraduate at St John’s College) are both prize winners this year and will be offered the much sought-after opportunity to perform a concerto with the flagship Cambridge University Orchestra (CUO) and a leading professional conductor as part of the orchestra’s 2024-25 concert season.
Violinist Flora Clapham (Christ’s College), harpist Hebe Kan (Trinity College) and marimba player Alex Pullen (St John’s College) were also Highly Commended.
The competition culminated in a live performance on Tuesday 5 March, during which the finalists performed in front of a panel of professional judges as well as members of the public.
For 2024, the judging panel consisted of Faculty of Music Director of Performance Prof Margaret Faultless, celebrated cellist Laura van der Heijden and former Head of Woodwind at the Royal Academy of Music and Principal Piccolo of the Philharmonia Orchestra Prof Keith Bragg.
Simon Fairclough, CMP Director, said: “Many congratulations to the two winners, Lola and Imaan, for their outstanding achievement, and also to the highly commended musicians. Also, thanks so much to our judges, whose expertise was invaluable in selecting the prize-winners from a group of such exceptional performers.”
To read more about the panel, please see below.
Margaret Faultless
Violinist Maggie Faultless has had a varied career and is currently a leader of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Director of Performance at the Faculty of Music in Cambridge, a Bye-Fellow of Girton College, an Honorary Fellow of Clare College and Musician in Residence at St John’s College. She also holds the Becket Chair of Historical Performance at the Royal Academy of Music and is a Professor of the University of London.
Laura van der Heijden
Admired for her captivating sonority and creative programming, Laura van der Heijden has emerged as one of the leading cellists of her generation. Her first album with Chandos Records, Pohádka was released in 2022 to critical acclaim. In 2023, Laura toured the US with the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective, and was also Artist in Focus at King’s Place, London performing in two contrasting chamber music recitals and CPE Bach with the Aurora Orchestra. She also gave solo and chamber recitals at Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall, Cheltenham Music Festival and at the Bad Kissingen Festival.
Keith Bragg
Keith Bragg was Principal Piccolo of the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1982 until 2020 and was Chairman of the Philharmonia from 1990 to 2005. He is Emeritus Professor of Orchestral Studies at the Royal Academy of Music where he became Professor of Piccolo in 1992 and was Head of Woodwind from 2002-2021. Keith has performed with all the major London orchestras and was a founder member of the Elysian Wind Quintet.
