OVER 200 children participated in the St Albans Young Musician finals held in the nave of the Abbey on Sunday – and the standard was described as exceptionally high.

There were 10 classes in the finals, now in their second year, and among the schools taking part were Abbey, Fleetville, Sandringham, Beaumont and St Columba’s.

It was a particularly good year for Beaumont which won no awards last year but won two classes on Sunday.

The primary school winners were: Solo instrument – Kishor Subramaniyam, a violinist who played Boourree by Bach. Choir – St Columba’s College Prep School Choir with Sing London arranged by Gareth Malone. Instrumental ensemble – Abbey Primary School Orchestra, with tunes from Mary Poppins arranged by Marie Price.

Secondary School winners were: Instrumental ensemble – Brilim Trio who played Adagio cantabile & Allegro Divertimento in D by Haydn. Vocal solo – Joint winners Emily Almond and Emma Doberty sang Dido’s Lament by Henry Purcell and Love’s Philosophy by Roger Quilter. Vocal ensemble – Beaumont Year 13 Girls with There is no Rose from A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten. Wind/brass solo – Samuel Lewis-Lim with Passacaille opus 35 by Rhene-Barton. Choir – Beaumont School Vocal Ensemble with Lay a Garland by R Pearsall. String Solo – Yaniick Mayaud playing violin sonata in E by Paul Hindemith. Bands – Sandringham Swing Band playing Sway by Pablo Ruiz.

The competition was judged by Paul Harris, who has an international reputation as one of the UK’s leading music educationalists.