Gifted Kimmy Kwok will be inspiring a new generation of violinists when she launches the 2023 Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year contest at her winner's concert in Pittville Pump Room on Sunday, November 20, at 3pm.

The 16-year-old Cheltenham College student will be performing Bruch's famous Violin Concerto in G Minor with Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra (GSO) under Glyn Oxley's baton. Tickets are free for under-18s from www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 

Kimmy, who passed her music diploma (LTCL) at the age of 14, hails from Hong Kong where she gained a string of awards before winning Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year as its youngest entrant in 2022. Her mother will be flying over to hear her play.

Her matinee concert will see the formal launch of the 2023 competition which celebrates the rich seam of musical talent in the county. It has been organised by GSO since 2014.

Also on the programme are Mozart's much-loved Magic Flute Overture and Dvorak's Symphony No 8.

Kimmy will be encouraging all young musicians to enter the 2023 contest, which is open to piano, string, woodwind, orchestral percussion, and brass musicians, under the age of 22 years on or before 1 March 2023, of at least Grade 8 standard, who live in or go to school in the county or receive musical tuition in a recognised musical organisation in Gloucestershire.

Entries are now open and close at midnight on Sunday December 11, 2022.

The winner will receive the Hewitt-Jones Trophy, a cheque for £500 and the opportunity to play a recital at Cheltenham Music Festival and perform with Gloucestershire Symphony and Gloucestershire Youth Orchestras.

There is also an audience prize of £200 with the opportunity to play at the Carducci Festival, sponsored by the Carducci Trust. Runners-up receive cheques for £50.

Auditions take place on Sunday January 8, 2023 at Gloucestershire Academy of Music's Gloucester headquarters at Barbican House and the Finalists' Concert is being staged at Pittville Pump Room on Sunday March 5 at 3pm 2023.

The sponsors who have made this contest possible include Gloucestershire Academy of Music, The Brimpsfield Music Society, The Summerfield Charitable Trust, Make Music Gloucestershire, the Carducci Trust and Ann Heron, mother of 2016 winner Adam.

For tickets to Kimmy's concert on Sunday visit https://www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk/whats-on/ 

For more details about the contest, entry forms and rules of entry, visit https://www.gloucestershiresymphony.org.uk  or ring Viv Hargreaves on 07740 448262.