The National Youth Music Competition (NYMC) is an annual classicalmusic competition held in South Africa, aimed at identifying and promoting the talents of young classical musicians.[1] The competition is open to pianists and orchestral instrumentalists aged between 14 and 19 years.[2] It provides participants with opportunities to develop their performance skills and gain exposure to the requirements of professional musical careers.[1]
Established in 1984 by the University of Port Elizabeth in collaboration with the Port Elizabeth branch of the South African Society of Music Teachers (SASMT), the NYMC operated under the guidance of Michael Maas. Initially named the Trust Bank National Youth Music Competition, it was later renamed the ABSA Competition following the bank's rebranding. In 2007, the competition became known as the Artscape National Youth Music Competition. To ensure its sustainability, the competition was deinstitutionalised in 2015, leading to the formation of the National Youth Music Foundation (NYMF), a trust established to oversee its operations.[1][3][4][5][6]
Structure and categories
The NYMC is designed for young classical musicians, specifically pianists and orchestral instrumentalists, aged between 14 and 19 years. Competitors are selected through an audition process, which historically has included video recording submissions.
The competition features the following instrument categories:[7]
Piano
String instruments
Woodwind instruments
Brass instruments
Other orchestral instruments (e.g., harp, percussion, marimba)
The competition takes place over four public rounds:[7]
Rounds 1 and 2: All selected competitors perform a wide-ranging repertoire of their choice, covering different style periods and including South African compositions
Round 3 (Semi-finals): A maximum of twelve competitors are selected to advance to this round
Round 4 (Finals): A maximum of six competitors are chosen to compete in the final round. The finalists have the opportunity to perform their concerto with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra
The judging process is cumulative over the four public rounds. Performances in these rounds are evaluated by a panel of adjudicators.
Venue and timeline
The competition's venue has varied over the years, having been held in Cape Town at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in Parow.[8] More recently, it has been held at the Endler Hall in the Konservatorium Building at Stellenbosch University.[7]
The competition typically takes place over approximately a week, often in late November or December. The application and audition process usually precedes the competition by several months.
Prizes and awards
Significant prizes are awarded to the winners and deserving participants. The top prizes include gold, silver, and bronze medals, as well as substantial cash prizes. The overall winner receives a gold medal and a significant monetary award, which in recent years has included the Michael Maas Memorial Prize. Category winners and runners-up also receive medals and cash prizes. Special prizes are often awarded for exceptional performances of specific works, such as South African compositions or works by Russian composers (the Polina Burdukova prize). Additional prizes may be awarded to promising candidates who do not reach the final rounds.[7][9]
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