At only 12 years old, Sam Hooper from Hobart, Tasmania, is the first recipient in Sydney Eisteddfod’s history to be awarded The Most Promising Young String Player Award.
This inaugural award is open to entrants aged 8 to 20 in selected Sydney Eisteddfod String events. This award aims to discover a young string player with exceptional potential and aid their musical journey through fine-tuning their technique with additional resources.
Sydney Eisteddfod created The Most Promising Young String Player Award through the valuable partnership with The Sydney String Centre.
For over 29 years, The Sydney String Centre has been Australia’s Orchestral String Specialists and trusted source of knowledge. They offer the widest selection of quality string instruments and accessories in Australia with a comprehensive workshop to service, set up, repair and restore stringed instruments.
Sam Hooper traveled from Hobart to compete in Sydney Eisteddfod and impressed the adjudicators and audience with his musical ability and passion for such a young age. Sam won the Under 12’s Violin event and received Highly Commended in the Under 15’s, which is no easy feat for a 12-year-old.
Sam was selected by the accomplished adjudicator Adele Ohki along with Sydney Eisteddfod and accompanist Julia Brimo and was awarded at the Sydney Eisteddfod Drs Orchestra Instrumental Scholarship Final attended by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC, QC, Governor of NSW, where he also got to perform as a special guest alongside 2013 Instrumental Scholarship Winner, Anna Da Silva Chen.
Sam’s mum Katrina, said to Sydney Eisteddfod, “This kind of thing just doesn’t happen. Sam had such a great time, and so did I!”
The Sydney String Centre generously offered Sam the loan of a suitable instrument of his choice for two years and other appropriate equipment to advance his musical journey. In addition, Sam received a guided behind-the-scenes tour of The Sydney String Centre workshop to learn about the construction and the crafting of a professional string instrument.
As part of the award, Sam also received a private lesson with Janet Davis on his return to Sydney, before he performed at the Instrumental Final. His co-guest performer, Anna Da Silva Chen mentored Sam and discussed opportunities and pathways that helped her shape her career.
This award has been made possible by the generous sponsors: The Sydney String Centre, Sydney Eisteddfod as well as The Federated Music Clubs of Australia.
Featured image : (Left to Right) – Anna Da Silva Chen – 2013 Instrumental Scholarship Winner, Sam Hooper, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC, QC, Governor of NSW