14-year-old Lily Meen from Malvern has won the Severn Arts Outstanding Instrumentalist Award at this year’s Worcester Competitive Arts Festival.

Worcester Competitive Arts Festival (WCAF) celebrated its 70^th year this year, and despite being online attracted more than 200 competitors entering classes ranging from vocal solos, instrumental solos, musical theatre to song and poetry composition, verse, prose and acting classes.

Lily’s standout performance caught the attention of the judges who commented on her confident, colourful and imaginative phrasing, bringing out the grandeur of her performance piece, the Bach Serenade.

Rosemary Hopkins, WCAF organiser said: “It was a tough competition as everyone gave such excellent online performances including Lily who played with such confidence. Congratulations to Lily and all of our young competitors for presenting credible performances in such challenging times. And we thank Severn Arts for their continued support and generous award. We’re now looking forward to next year when we hopefully will be back face to face.”

Lily Meen said: “I was very surprised to receive the email saying I had won the Severn Arts Outstanding Instrumentalist Award. I feel very proud and honoured to have been chosen for the award, and for being offered the opportunity to play my harp in a Severn Arts string ensemble."

Other awards went to Kieran Lilley awarded the Inner Wheel cup for Music for his performance on the clarinet, Amelia Davies awarded the Worcester Arts Trophy in Music, Michelle Ziqi Zhu received the Vale Piano Trophy and Alexandra Penlington won the William Lewis Salver for piano.  Worcester Competitive Arts Festival 2021 Virtual Festival took place in March.

Worcester Competitive Arts Festival

Severn Arts ensembles