CNSO Young Musicians Competition 2025
Date: 10 May 2025
Location: St John Baptist Church, Newport
Date: 10 May 2025
Location: St John Baptist Church, Newport
The CNSO Young Musicians Competition 2025 was a vibrant celebration of young classical music talent, held at the historic St John Baptist Church in Newport. The day brought together some of the most promising young performers in the region and featured both the Young Musicians Competition (under 15s) and the Concerto Competition (under 21s).
The event was expertly compered by Mrs Lynne Fulcher, who guided the audience through the day’s performances with warmth and insight. Adjudication was carried out by Roussanka Karatchivieva and Dr. Bruce Perkins, both distinguished figures in South Wales' music making scene.
Young Musicians Competition (Under 15s)
The morning session featured outstanding performances from six young musicians, this year featuring the cello, piano and violin.
After a close contest, the Young Musician 2025 winner was announced as Kiera Morgan, whose cello performance impressed the judges with its expressive depth and technical precision. Kiera will meet the orchestra when she performs with piano in our concert in March 2026.
Concerto Competition (Under 21s)
The afternoon continued with the Concerto Competition, showcasing the violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone.
The judges awarded the title of CNSO Concerto Soloist 2025 to Charlotte Holmes, whose flute performance stood out for its musical maturity and poise. Charlotte is a student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She will join the orchestra to perform the Mozart Flute Concerto in G major on 13th December 2025.
The event concluded with a prize presentation of the trophies and prize money, recognising the hard work, skill, and dedication of all participants. A heartfelt thank you goes to our sponsors – Canon Colin Westbrook, the Blakemore Foundation, Cerdd Gwent Music – for their support in making this showcase of young talent possible. Thanks and congratulations to the CNSO Committee and Helpers for putting this event together for a fourth year.
The event was expertly compered by Mrs Lynne Fulcher, who guided the audience through the day’s performances with warmth and insight. Adjudication was carried out by Roussanka Karatchivieva and Dr. Bruce Perkins, both distinguished figures in South Wales' music making scene.
Young Musicians Competition (Under 15s)
The morning session featured outstanding performances from six young musicians, this year featuring the cello, piano and violin.
After a close contest, the Young Musician 2025 winner was announced as Kiera Morgan, whose cello performance impressed the judges with its expressive depth and technical precision. Kiera will meet the orchestra when she performs with piano in our concert in March 2026.
Concerto Competition (Under 21s)
The afternoon continued with the Concerto Competition, showcasing the violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone.
The judges awarded the title of CNSO Concerto Soloist 2025 to Charlotte Holmes, whose flute performance stood out for its musical maturity and poise. Charlotte is a student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She will join the orchestra to perform the Mozart Flute Concerto in G major on 13th December 2025.
The event concluded with a prize presentation of the trophies and prize money, recognising the hard work, skill, and dedication of all participants. A heartfelt thank you goes to our sponsors – Canon Colin Westbrook, the Blakemore Foundation, Cerdd Gwent Music – for their support in making this showcase of young talent possible. Thanks and congratulations to the CNSO Committee and Helpers for putting this event together for a fourth year.