AT PIANO : JAY DINGLE , SAMUEL ZONG AND JIM ZHANG . LEFT : ANGELA LI , HEAD OF THE MUSIC AUXILIARY
ABOVE THE LOCKDOWN
and the first two rounds were judged by Scotch piano staff , including Elaine Chin , who was also the competition convenor .
It was a little more difficult than usual to adjudicate , as normally all competitors would be playing the same piano , whereas this year they were playing on their own instruments , some of which badly needed tuning . It was also curious to see how the young pianists presented . No one performed in their pyjamas , but one competitor did present his second-round recital wearing fluffy slippers .
Six finalists were chosen and asked to submit their final performances by video . These recitals were judged by guest adjudicators Rita Reichman , Caroline Almonte and Wilma Smith .
It was a joyous outcome for Scotch when our own Samuel Zong ( Year 12 ) was chosen as the first prize winner . It is the third time Samuel has entered the competition and his last opportunity , so it was a particularly thrilling success for him . It was also thoroughly deserved . Samuel was the only competitor who performed completely different repertoire in each of the three rounds , showing his astonishing breadth and versatility . His final performance was outstandingly impressive , as he played the Liszt Piano Concerto No . 1 , performing both the solo and orchestral parts himself , demonstrating not only his commanding skills at the piano , but also a gift for recording technology and ingenuity .
The Piano Competition was not the only performing event salvaged from our Piano Festival this year . In the second week of Term 4 , Scotch piano staff held a recital day , where a number of performances by those same staff were recorded for uploading to the Scotch College website . A few days later , four Year 12 pianists , Jim Zhang , Jay Dingle , Yichen Jiang and Samuel Zong gave a lunchtime recital , demonstrating their advanced skills and musicality . It was wonderful to hear the sound of our exquisite Steinway in the magnificent Ian Roach Hall once again , and to listen to pieces like the Pletnev arrangement of Tchaikovky ’ s Nutcracker Suite , performed so superbly by Jim Zhang . These performances are also available on the website for all to enjoy
Plato said , ‘ Music gives a soul to the universe , wings to the mind , flight to the imagination and life to everything ’. How fortunate we are at Scotch that , even in a challenging year like 2020 , our boys continue to strive for excellence in music , and to leave a legacy that many will strive to emulate in the future !
TERESA LAVERS – HEAD OF KEYBOARD STUDIES
www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 49