After a record number of entries were received this year, the UK winners of the Yamaha Music Europe Foundation (YMEF) Scholarship Scheme have been announced as bassoonist Ruihan Kee and flautist Sofiia Matviienko, both studying at the Royal Academy of Music, and oboist Bingliang Lui, studying at the Royal College of Music.
Launched in 1989, these prestigious international awards provide performance opportunities, valuable international profile, and financial assistance to talented music students throughout Europe. The Scholarship Scheme has provided over 1,000 scholarships amounting to more than €1m since its inception, with awarded monies being dedicated to advancement of studies and career prospects. Each student is awarded between €1,000 and €2,000 as a one-time payment.
The scholarships rotate between brass, woodwind, piano, strings, percussion and vocal each year, and the programme is open to UK and Republic of Ireland students not older than 25 at the time of the application, currently studying on a full-time music course at a higher education institution. Students from 32 other European countries can apply via country-specific applications, and winners are chosen based on a video audition, followed by a live audition for those shortlisted.
The scholarships have an international reputation for showcasing the finest new classical music talent and boast internationally renowned alumni now enjoying successful international careers. Previous winners have been saxophonist Amy Dickson, euphonium player David Childs and pianist Eduard Kunz.
Bassoonist Kee was born in Singapore but moved to the UK to study with Andrea de Flammineis at the Royal College of Music, graduating with honours in 2016. She is now studying for a masters degree at the Royal Academy of Music under Robin O’Neill and Jonathan Davies. Believing that classical music is for everyone, Kee engages in community work alongside her performing work, most recently working with the Royal London Hospital and Singing with Friends at Wigmore Hall.
Her music interests are wide ranging, and she enjoys exploring a diverse range of repertoire from contemporary to Baroque. This year, she has worked with conductors including John Wilson and Ludovic Morlot, and this spring Kee will be making her Wigmore Hall debut with the Academy Baroque Soloists led by Rachel Podger.
On being awarded a YMEF scholarship, Kee says: ‘I am honoured and ecstatic to have been selected as one of the YMEF scholarship winners this year. For years, I have felt my skills were inadequate to enter any competitions, but I convinced myself to push my boundaries and to give the YMEF scholarship a shot. To have won is perhaps my greatest personal achievement – an acknowledgment of my efforts and a major boost in my confidence to press on and pursue music.’
She adds: ‘The scholarship winnings will enable me to get the bassoon equipment and accessories that I have not been able to afford, both of which will aid my playing greatly and contribute to my development as a professional musician.’
Having studied music in China, where he was born, before coming to London in 2019, oboist Bingliang Lui is currently studying for an Artist Diploma in oboe performance at the Royal College of Music. On winning the scholarship, Lui says: ‘It is not only a financial support but an honour to have been selected as one of the YMEF scholars for 2022.
Bingliang Liu
‘As an oboist, I have to keep purchasing reed-making materials, which cost massively, and I'm planning on using the scholarship to cover this cost. I would like to thank Yamaha for offering such great help to young musicians around the world.’
The winners were chosen by a panel of judges, which was chaired by Kevin Gowland, acting head of school of wind, brass and percussion, director of woodwind, and senior flute tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). He says: ‘It was a great honour and pleasure to be panel chair for this year's Yamaha Music Europe Foundation scholarship. I would like to congratulate all the competitors on their very fine performances.
‘The standard this year was exceptionally high and as a result the panel's job was not the easiest, however we were unanimous in recognising Ruihan Kee, Bingliang Liu, and Sofiia Matviienko as this year's recipients. I would also like to thank the Yamaha Music Foundation for its continued sponsorship of this prestigious competition.’
Event organiser and institutional business manager at Yamaha Music Europe, James Sargeant, said: ‘This year's YMEF attracted the highest number of entries from the UK in the history of the competition. We were amazed at the exceptionally high standard of entries. We were fortunate to have an esteemed panel of jurors who had the unenviable task of selecting three winners from this huge pool of talent.
‘We would like to pass on our appreciation not just to the panel, but also to the tutors of all our entrants – inspirational performances like these are borne out of inspirational teaching. Yamaha is committed to developing tomorrow's musicians, helping them through their professional and musical development, and ensuring that they are fully equipped to make waves in their own instrumental fields. We are already looking forward to next year's awards and supporting more young musicians as they move towards their professional careers.’
The judge for the preliminary round was Janet Barkus (ABRSM), and the full panel for the final round was Kevin Gowland, Heather Nicoll (head of wind, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), and Jenni Phillips (head of wind, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire). The discipline for next year's Scholarship Scheme will be announced in Autumn, when applications will also open.
