Zoe wins first round of national young musician competition

A student has won the first round of a national music competition held in Lynn and will be progressing to the next stage.

Violinist Zoe Burton, of Wisbech Grammar School, came first in the local round of the Rotary Young Musician Competition, meaning she will move on to the district round in February.

Judged by Derek Oldfield, Avril Wright and Daniel Jenkins, other competitors included second-place Iryna Oliinyk, Christoper Tooley and Chantelle Verdad.

The event was organised by the Rotary Club of King’s Lynn and held at Springwood High School where Zoe played three pieces for the judges: Tchaikovsky’s Canzonetta, Bach’s Gigue Partita III in E Major and Gerswin’s ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’.

Rotary Great Britain and Ireland, which runs the competition, launches a variety of other events throughout the year such as Young Filmmaker, Young Writer, Young Photographer and Youth Speaks (a debating competition). They aim to encourage and celebrate the talents of those who enter.

If Zoe succeeds in the district round, she will then go on to the regional round and finally the national round, for a chance to win the title of Rotary Young Musician 2024.