Texaco in the UK

28 Apr 2005

TALENTED CELLIST TAKES THE TEXACO TITLE

Stella Cho, a 14-year-old cellist from Pontprennau, Cardiff, wowed the judges with her outstanding performances to take the prestigious Texaco Young Musician of Wales 2005 title.

The award was presented at the competition’s final on Saturday night, (23 April) where Stella was one of five finalists, who performed in front of a panel of distinguished judges and a packed auditorium at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre.

Stella collected the Texaco Young Musician of Wales trophy and Ł1,000 prize money for her performances of Fantasie-St?cke, Op. 73 by Robert Schumann, Pičce en Forme de Habańera by Maurice Ravel and Dance of the Elves, Op. 39 by David Popper. She also played the Cello Concerto in B minor, Op.104, 3rd movement by Antonín Dvorák with the Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra.

The music department at her school, Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls has also received Ł1,000 from Texaco thanks to Stella’s musical talents.

Stella said: “I was really pleased with my performance and it was a great experience, especially playing for the first time with an orchestra. I wasn’t expecting to win as I didn’t think of it as a competition but I’m thrilled.”

Stella’s win comes after months of preparation, following preliminary rounds and regional finals across Wales, in which more than 80 musicians took part.

Originally from South Korea, Stella began playing the cello at the age of eight and four years later she gained the highest mark in Gwent at Grade eight. She has recently gained a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and saw the Texaco Young Musician of Wales 2005 competition as a stepping stone to her future musical career.

Simran Singh, a 14-year-old violinist from Ammanford came second and walked away with a prize of Ł750 and 18-year-old flautist, Aimée de Gruchy-Lambert from Machen won the third prize of Ł500. Two runners up, Glain Dafydd and Edmund Harzell also took away Ł250.

Des King, general manager of Texaco’s Pembroke refinery, said: “Texaco would like to congratulate all the competitors that reached the final, they are all winners at that stage. Stella is extremely talented and has a special presence on stage which captures your attention before taking your breath away with her performance. At just 14-years-old, she has got the world at her feet and I hope that winning the Texaco competition is the stepping stone she needs to put her on the international stage.

“As part of our commitment to the Welsh community, we are proud to be associated with this event which has made such a positive impact on hundreds of musicians since its foundation in 1989.”

This is the ninth of the biennial competitions sponsored by Texaco and organised in partnership with Co^r Meibion De Cymru, the South Wales Male Choir. The television programme of the competition final is scheduled to appear on ITV Wales on Monday 27 June.