Percussionist Fang Zhang wins BBC Young Musician 2020
Lucy Thraves
Sunday, May 2, 2021
The 17 year old was born in China's Henan province and is a recent student of Chetham's School of Music in Manchester
The final of the BBC Young Musician competition was broadcast this evening, presented by BBC Young Musician regular Josie d’Arby, organist and conductor Anna Lapwood, and saxophonist Jess Gillam.
The winner, 17-year-old percussionist Fang Zhang, is a member of China Youth Percussion Orchestra, and thanks to this scheme has been performing around the world since he was 11 years old.
Fang Zhang impressed the judging panel with a performance of Prism Rhapsody by Japanese composer and marimba innovator Keiko Abe. He was accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Mark Wigglesworth.
The panel was chaired by chief executive of Saffron Hall Angela Dixon, and included composer, clarinettist and BBC Young Musician 2006 winner Mark Simpson, composer Errollyn Wallen, principal conductor with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Ryan Bancroft, and experimental composer and turntable artist Shiva Feshareki.
Previous BBC Young Musician winners include celebrated classical music stars such as cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, violinist Nicola Benedetti, and clarinettist Mark Simpson.
Taking place after a year-long delay due to the global pandemic, the final was filmed on Sunday 25 April at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall without an audience in attendance.
The final also featured performances by 18-year-old French horn player Annemarie Federle from Cambridge, and 19-year old oboist Ewan Millar from Reading, Berkshire.