on 15 February 2025
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Morwenna Rees, saxophone
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Hanhan Qu, flute
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Laura Lin, cello
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Yash Saran, solo piano
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2025 Local Young Performers
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Morwenna, Hanhan, Yash, Laura
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Margaret Roberts, piano accompanist
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Nigel Hutchison, piano accompanist
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Photographs by David Hogg of Horizon Imaging.
There is always music buzzing about at Breinton all year around, but you can really feel it in the most exciting way in February every year – the time for our Local Young Performers’ Soirée! Last night was no exception; what an utterly enjoyable evening, inviting four talented teenage musicians, who each performed on different instruments, each in their distinctive style. Young musicians can gain experience through performing to create their own language to express themselves and we feel privileged to be able to offer a platform for them, with our friendly and appreciative audience members, where they can focus on sharing their music without the pressure of a competition or audition.
Leading up to this event every year, there is always a moment of frantic preparation when multiple things cross my mind. Did I time everything right? Does the performing order make sense? What about the position of the piano and the music stand? When and who moves them? etc, etc. But the friendly chaos turns into pure pleasure once the first musician steps in!
We would like to thank all the performers who participated.
Morwenna Rees (saxophone), who walked in nonchalantly but performed wonderfully. She managed skillful rhythmical leaps with her pianist Margaret, timing spot-on. She certainly showed off her dexterity! Some of the lower registered sounds were particularly engaging and memorable.
For such a young age, Hanhan Qu (flute) possessed maturity and magnetic power to grab people in. Her ability to perform technical pieces at ease and to express a different ambiance for each piece was jaw-dropping. She breathed in the atmosphere and was in the groove.
I was elated when I heard that Laura Lin (cello) would be performing Debussy’s Cello Sonata, and I thought she smashed it. Every note had a bold statement and her articulation was acute. The following Schumann made such a refreshing contrast – it was a wonderful programme.
Yash Saran (solo piano) has got a special touch to the piano and his sensitivity was certainly his strength and was heartfelt. He expanded tones and colours in Moszkowski’s Caprice Espagnol, the perfect piece to complete the evening with elevated spirits.
Not only did they offer a wonderful performance, but they also showered us with their young energy, positive attitude and endless effort to please the audience.
We would like to profusely thank Margaret Roberts and Nigel Hutchison, who expertly accompanied the instrumentalists and contributed hugely to the success of the evening.
Morwenna Rees, saxophone
accompanied by Margaret Roberts
- Ronald Binge: Concerto for Alto Saxophone
- Jules Demersseman: Fantasie sur un thème original
Hanhan Qu, flute
accompanied by Margaret Roberts
- André Jolivet: Chant de Linos
- Carl Reinecke: 3rd movement Andante e tranquillo from Sonata ‘Undine’
- Charles-Marie Widor: 4th movement Finale from Suite for flute and piano
Laura Lin, cello
accompanied by Nigel Hutchison
- Debussy: Cello Sonata
- Schumann: Adagio and Allegro
Yash Saran, solo piano
- Mozart: Sonata no. 14 in C minor, first movement
- Liszt: Concert Etude no. 3 Un Sospiro s.144
- Debussy: Etude No 8
- Moszkowski: Caprice Espagnol op. 37
Hanhan Qu was born in 2009 and is an academic and music scholar at Guildford High School. She has fostered a passion for music-making from a young age, currently studying as a joint principal pianist and flautist at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, with Richard Uttley and Katie Bedford, respectively. Alongside this she also enjoys conducting and participating in a variety of chamber ensembles at the RCMJD.
Morwenna Rees is 16 years old and is a music scholar in the Lower Sixth at St. Catherine’s, Bramley. She started playing saxophone aged seven and is currently studying at the Junior Guildhall School of Music and is taught by Josie Simmons, having previously been a pupil of Chloe Potter. She also partakes in composition workshops at Guildhall.
Laura Ruo-An Lin, born in Taiwan, began playing the cello at age four. At eight, she was accepted into the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School, where she studies with Matthijs Broersma, Bartholomew LaFollette, and Una Cho. She has participated in masterclasses with renowned cellists such as Colin Carr, Alexander Chaushian, Gary Hoffman, and Marc Coppey.
Yash Saran has been playing the piano since the age of 6, and now studies at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department with Eleanor Hodgkinson. Also at the Academy, he plays in a piano trio, having performed Debussy at Burgh House this summer. Currently Yash is studying for his GCSEs at St. George's College Weybridge where he is a music scholar. He is a thrice winner of Woking Music Festival's Junior Musician of the Year and twice runner up of the Piano Prize at the Academy, as well as winning various festival classes elsewhere.
From early on in her career Margaret Roberts has worked as a piano accompanist, playing for some of the first BBC Young Musician of the Year competitions. As a music student at Brasenose College (Oxford) she specialised in piano performance and as organ exhibitioner, directed the chapel choir and played for college services and concerts.
Nigel Hutchison graduated with a first class honours degree from the University of Glasgow, followed by intensive study with Craig Sheppard at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with help off scholarships from the Scottish International Education Trust and the Sir James Caird Trust. A Fulbright scholarship subsequently enabled him to study with Earl Wild at the Juliard School in New York.