17-year-old trumpeter Alexandra Ridout has been named as the winner of the BBC Young Musician’s Jazz Award.
After an extensive audition process, the BBC Young Musician Jazz Award final took place on Saturday 12 March at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff.
Five finalists included two pianists, one trumpeter, one saxophonist and one musician on saxophone and recorder, aged between 15 and 21 years old. The musicians, including saxophonist Tom Smith and pianist Elliott Sansom, performed alongside the Gwilym Simcock Trio and were judged by Tim Garland, Gwyneth Herbert, Zoe Rahman, Byron Wallen and the jury chair, Julian Joseph.
Commenting on her win, Alexandra said: 'The whole thing has been an amazing opportunity! I can't believe I even got this far. I wasn't expecting to win but now that I have, it's incredible, and playing with the trio was the best bit, they are just so good!'
The BBC Young Musician Jazz Final will be broadcast on BBC Four on Friday 13 May, presented by Josie D’Arby and Joe Stilgoe. BBC Radio 3 will broadcast a special programme dedicated to the Jazz Award on Saturday 26 March.
Julian Joseph added: 'We were enchanted by Alexandra’s presence as a musician, her sound, but I think most importantly there was a relationship with the blues and swinging that sounds important in her playing. We all heard that, and we all felt that, and it really tipped the decision in her favour.'
The BBC Young Musician Jazz Award was launched in 2014 and runs alongside the established classical music format, which has been running since 1978.
After an extensive audition process, the BBC Young Musician Jazz Award final took place on Saturday 12 March at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff.
Five finalists included two pianists, one trumpeter, one saxophonist and one musician on saxophone and recorder, aged between 15 and 21 years old. The musicians, including saxophonist Tom Smith and pianist Elliott Sansom, performed alongside the Gwilym Simcock Trio and were judged by Tim Garland, Gwyneth Herbert, Zoe Rahman, Byron Wallen and the jury chair, Julian Joseph.
Commenting on her win, Alexandra said: 'The whole thing has been an amazing opportunity! I can't believe I even got this far. I wasn't expecting to win but now that I have, it's incredible, and playing with the trio was the best bit, they are just so good!'
The BBC Young Musician Jazz Final will be broadcast on BBC Four on Friday 13 May, presented by Josie D’Arby and Joe Stilgoe. BBC Radio 3 will broadcast a special programme dedicated to the Jazz Award on Saturday 26 March.
Julian Joseph added: 'We were enchanted by Alexandra’s presence as a musician, her sound, but I think most importantly there was a relationship with the blues and swinging that sounds important in her playing. We all heard that, and we all felt that, and it really tipped the decision in her favour.'
The BBC Young Musician Jazz Award was launched in 2014 and runs alongside the established classical music format, which has been running since 1978.
