0:00:02 > 0:00:06It's always a thrill to witness the emergence of new talent
0:00:06 > 0:00:08and, over the past four weeks,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10we've heard some breathtaking performances
0:00:10 > 0:00:12by some brilliant teenagers.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Tonight, we reach the penultimate stage in this year's competition.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Five incredibly strong musical personalities
0:00:19 > 0:00:22compete for the three coveted places in the grand final.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24It's going to be a night to remember.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Welcome to the semifinal of BBC Young Musician 2016.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57Tonight's semifinalists have all got through several rounds already.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Hundreds entered this competition and now just five remain.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09They've each triumphed in their own category
0:01:09 > 0:01:13and now they play again, but this time against each other.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17The very fact that they've won their category final
0:01:17 > 0:01:18means they're winners
0:01:18 > 0:01:22and they're outstanding players of their instrument already.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27I'd love them to try and vamp it up one more level
0:01:27 > 0:01:30and just bring an even more spectacular performance.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Tonight, all of them will be repeating their repertoire
0:01:40 > 0:01:41from the category finals.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45The first player to secure a place in the semifinal line-up
0:01:45 > 0:01:47was 15-year-old Jackie Campbell.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56His sensitive interpretations of Debussy, Scriabin and Rachmaninov
0:01:56 > 0:01:59won him the keyboard final.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Jackie has very special qualities.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05He let the music speak
0:02:05 > 0:02:10and he communicated to the audience in a very sincere way.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13- Jackie Campbell. - APPLAUSE
0:02:13 > 0:02:17I guess it was a bit surprising, but I'm here to do it again.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20I hope I can maybe even go beyond
0:02:20 > 0:02:24what I managed to do when I played last time.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32With a wonderfully exuberant performance on the saxophone,
0:02:32 > 0:02:3617-year-old Jess Gillam was victorious in the woodwind final.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Jess was sensational.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43She can say what she wants to say
0:02:43 > 0:02:46and she delivers it with such energy and brilliance.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52There was something that happened on stage
0:02:52 > 0:02:54where I felt completely at home.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56I wasn't happy with everything I'd played and there were
0:02:56 > 0:02:59so many things I knew I could have improved, but I loved it.
0:03:05 > 0:03:0916-year-old Andrew Woolcock gave a mesmerising performance
0:03:09 > 0:03:11to win the percussion category final.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Andrew's musicality was the thing that shone through.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20He seemed to own the stage and just really brought us in,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23really communicated the music to us.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28When I was performing, I just thought
0:03:28 > 0:03:31this is the best you've performed it so far
0:03:31 > 0:03:34so I thought I had an OK chance, but I wasn't completely sure.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Andrew Woolcock.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37APPLAUSE
0:03:37 > 0:03:41It's just amazing. I didn't think that I get this far,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44so it's just been an incredible experience. It's just great.
0:03:45 > 0:03:46Impressing the jury
0:03:46 > 0:03:50with his assured and dazzling command of the French horn,
0:03:50 > 0:03:5318-year-old Ben Goldscheider won the brass category.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58I think Ben was just such a rounded musician.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03He made mature choices for the programme, really ambitious choices,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07but he carried them through and we were blown away by his performance.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12To be in the semifinal is amazing.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16Everyone enters this competition to get to these stages and to progress,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19and it's amazing to be able to show what I can do on a big stage.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29And completing the line-up for the semifinal,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33it's 16-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36who gave an enthralling performance of Cassado, Rachmaninov
0:04:36 > 0:04:40and Shostakovich to clinch the strings title.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Sheku was outstanding from the beginning.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46We felt that he was a real star in the making.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48His potential is enormous.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53It was kind of great and surreal.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56I didn't really realise that they had called my name -
0:04:56 > 0:04:57I was just kind of praying.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00But there is always room to improve,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03so I won't change much because I'm used to this stage,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07where I can kind of relax more and express myself that little bit more.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12It really is such an exciting line-up for this semifinal
0:05:12 > 0:05:15and I think it's fair to say, Ali, that you and I have both been
0:05:15 > 0:05:17blown away by the overall standard this year.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Absolutely, it's been so compelling
0:05:19 > 0:05:22and every single one of these performers is a potential winner.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24I don't know about you, Clemmie,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27but I'm finding it impossible not to get emotionally involved.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29I know. Me, too. I just want them all to win.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32One question that always comes up at this stage is how on earth
0:05:32 > 0:05:35you compare instruments as diverse as percussion...
0:05:37 > 0:05:39..French horn...
0:05:40 > 0:05:42..saxophone...
0:05:43 > 0:05:45..piano...
0:05:47 > 0:05:48..and cello.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55It's certainly not easy, but tonight the judges will be looking for
0:05:55 > 0:05:57the three standout musicians.
0:05:57 > 0:05:58I think, at this point,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01it comes down to giving the performance of their lives.
0:06:01 > 0:06:02It's about charisma
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and making an emotional connection with the audience.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Thankfully, we're not the ones who'll be making the decision -
0:06:08 > 0:06:11that job rests with tonight's semifinal jury.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14And they are Meurig Bowen,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17director of the Cheltenham Music Festival.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21I'll be looking for somebody who has a kind of fearlessness
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and a courage and ability on stage to take risks,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27but also to be relaxed as a performer
0:06:27 > 0:06:31and to make us feel relaxed as audience members as well.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Alpesh Chauhan, cellist and assistant conductor
0:06:34 > 0:06:37of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40I think it's very important that they really show us different parts
0:06:40 > 0:06:42of their personality and character
0:06:42 > 0:06:45because, while we're seeing their performance
0:06:45 > 0:06:47and how they play their instrument,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50we're also having a small insight into their personality
0:06:50 > 0:06:51and what they can bring to music.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Huw Humphreys, head of music at London's Barbican Centre.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Technical brilliance isn't enough -
0:06:58 > 0:07:00you're looking for a level of musicianship.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02And, from my perspective, you're looking for someone
0:07:02 > 0:07:06that you'd be very happy putting on stage at the Barbican Centre
0:07:06 > 0:07:08in London or on professional stages across the country.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12And our chair of the jury throughout the category finals,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14composer Dobrinka Tabakova.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17I'll be looking for a genuine performance.
0:07:17 > 0:07:18I don't want to see perfection.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Perfection is such an overrated word anyway.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24I want to see them be human.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29So, that's our jury for this BBC Young Musician semifinal.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33It's quite a responsibility. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Tonight will be a night of heightened emotions.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Elation for the three who go through
0:07:39 > 0:07:42and, of course, disappointment for the two who don't.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43But whatever happens, Ali,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46I think it's a fantastic opportunity for all of them.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Yeah, of course, it's a brilliant showcase.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50I've been talking to these five talented performers
0:07:50 > 0:07:53and they've all said how much they've learnt just from taking part.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Every generation that's been through this competition,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59and I include myself in this, we've all found it to be
0:07:59 > 0:08:02such a crucial turning point in our careers, regardless of the results.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Well, it is time to get started.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08The first person to perform in this BBC Young Musician semifinal,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10and the winner of this year's percussion category,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13is 16-year-old Andrew Woolcock.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Andrew is from Preston in Lancashire and studies at weekends
0:08:24 > 0:08:26at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32He tried out a number of instruments
0:08:32 > 0:08:35before coming to percussion relatively late.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Reaching grade eight on both drum kit and tuned percussion
0:08:38 > 0:08:43in the space of 18 months, Andrew's progress has been remarkable.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46I do like playing in ensembles, but solo percussion -
0:08:46 > 0:08:49I just love it because I feel I can express myself through it.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54He impressed the judges in the category final
0:08:54 > 0:08:57with a dynamic and charismatic performance
0:08:57 > 0:09:00that really showed off his passion for music making.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07APPLAUSE
0:09:07 > 0:09:11The winner of the percussion final is Andrew Woolcock.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Can you describe that moment, when they called your name as the winner?
0:09:16 > 0:09:18It was just pure amazement. I was like, "Whoa!"
0:09:18 > 0:09:20I was just flabbergasted, yeah.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23So now, of course, you've got to do it all over again.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25How do you prepare for being in the semifinal?
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Obviously you've got to do a bit of practice, just touch up
0:09:28 > 0:09:30on the few details that you missed in the category final.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33But it's also about getting your head in the game as well,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35not getting too nervous or pent-up or worried about it,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37and just kind of going for it.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39What would it mean to you to get into the final?
0:09:39 > 0:09:42I think I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44But thinking about it, it would just be incredible.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48It would be a life-changing experience for me - it would just be amazing.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53APPLAUSE
0:09:53 > 0:09:56My first piece, Asventuras, by Alexej Gerassimez,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58is a snare drum solo. You're not just playing
0:09:58 > 0:10:00the head of the snare drum with two snare drum sticks,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03you use your hand or a brush or a timpani stick
0:10:03 > 0:10:05to create lots of different timbres,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08so it kind of functions as a different kind of piece.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36APPLAUSE
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Andrew Woolcock getting this BBC Young Musician semifinal under way.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43From the snare drum, he now turns to marimba
0:12:43 > 0:12:44and a piece called Land
0:12:44 > 0:12:48by the Japanese composer Takatsugu Muramatsu.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52It's just a beautiful piece.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55What you should listen out for is the really low notes
0:12:55 > 0:12:58cos they just sound gorgeous when you hit them right,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00and especially the harmonies in that piece as well.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02You get lovely tonal clashes,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04which just create gorgeous colours to listen to.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42APPLAUSE
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Moving on to the vibraphone next,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48Andrew plays a piece by contemporary composer Alexej Gerassimez,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51inspired by the Argentinian tangos of Astor Piazzolla.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56I love Piazanore because it's a vibes and piano duo,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58so it's kind of a different aspect to take on it,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00where the piano isn't just accompanying,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02it's kind of a bit of a duet.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05And it's quite jazzy, which is that something you don't normally see
0:16:05 > 0:16:08in a classical music concert repertoire.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10APPLAUSE
0:20:10 > 0:20:14This year's percussion category winner Andrew Woolcock
0:20:14 > 0:20:18bringing his bid for a place in the grand final to a close there
0:20:18 > 0:20:21with Piazonore by Alexej Gerassimez.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22Whoo!
0:20:24 > 0:20:25Wicked!
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Andrew's got extraordinary virtuosity.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32He really grabbed the audience immediately
0:20:32 > 0:20:34with his snare drum playing.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37I felt sometimes he could have taken time at the beginning of the pieces
0:20:37 > 0:20:40a little more, just frame the openings a little better,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42but he's got incredible musical flair.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44I loved his programme yet again.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Performed it even better than the first time round.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Andrew is just like a dancer on stage.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Every movement he does expresses the phrasing that he is doing
0:20:52 > 0:20:56and it's just so graceful and so beautiful to watch, I loved it.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59I'm just quite happy with my performance - that's all I can say.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03I can't remember all of it, but I'm pretty happy, yeah.
0:21:06 > 0:21:07Well, as in the category final,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11I'm so struck by what brilliant programming this was from Andrew.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Really thrilling way to start tonight's semifinal.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I love watching him play. He's such a likeable personality.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18He moves on stage with such agility and grace,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20a very elegant percussionist.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Do you think he's ramped up his programme enough for tonight?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I wonder, I wonder, that's a very good question.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29His repertoire, as you say, is brilliant,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31it's so simple but powerful.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34You know, these three instruments and they sounded gorgeous.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37He's an extraordinary player, but I got a slight sense
0:21:37 > 0:21:40that he didn't want to take any risks because of the pressure.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43He just wanted to not go wrong in any way. And, of course,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45you've really got to take risks at this level.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47And talking to them all week,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50we know they're trying to think of this as just another concert
0:21:50 > 0:21:52and they're not focusing on the result, on the final,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55but it must be so hard, as well you know.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Next up tonight we're going to hear 18-year-old Ben Goldscheider,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01who gave such an assured performance to win this year's brass final.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Ben is from a family of musicians
0:22:09 > 0:22:12and developed a love for the French horn at a young age.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18On Saturdays, he attends the Junior Royal College of Music,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22just like the previous three winners of BBC Young Musician.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25It really inspired me in terms of what they're now doing
0:22:25 > 0:22:28with their careers. Young Musician is such an amazing platform
0:22:28 > 0:22:32by which I could potentially launch the career that I really desire.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Having triumphed in his category final,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Ben is now hoping to play his way to the grand final.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46What do you do in preparation for a concert like this?
0:22:46 > 0:22:50I've tried as best as I can just to treat it as a normal concert.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52If you start getting into a mind-set,
0:22:52 > 0:22:54this is BBC Young Musician, I'm on TV, I think
0:22:54 > 0:22:57people can overthink things and get too worked up.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01So I went to school on Friday, I went for a drink last night.
0:23:01 > 0:23:02I've tried to be chilled about it.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04I've done my practice and I know I'm prepared.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Is there anything you learnt in the category final
0:23:07 > 0:23:08that you can take forward into the semi?
0:23:08 > 0:23:10I think the biggest thing about coming back
0:23:10 > 0:23:14and playing in the same hall is the fact that it is the same hall,
0:23:14 > 0:23:15you know, I know what to expect
0:23:15 > 0:23:19and I think maybe I can just take it down one notch
0:23:19 > 0:23:22in terms of nervousness and feel relaxed and play.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Do you feel like this is a good opportunity for you
0:23:24 > 0:23:27to be on a different platform, get that message out there,
0:23:27 > 0:23:28maybe explore with some new music?
0:23:28 > 0:23:32I think definitely, yeah. I'm playing the Esa-Pekka Salonen piece,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34which is about as out there as it gets.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Very cool. We loved that piece, it really blew my mind.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39I had no idea the horn was capable of such acrobatics.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42That's the best thing about it. Every time I play a piece like that,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45people come up to me, "I didn't know the horn could do that."
0:23:45 > 0:23:48There's so much more to the instrument and I think more
0:23:48 > 0:23:50that people haven't discovered, so let's see what happens.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55APPLAUSE
0:23:55 > 0:23:57So, here is Ben Goldscheider
0:23:57 > 0:23:59and he's going to begin with that very same showpiece
0:23:59 > 0:24:01for the French horn, Etudes,
0:24:01 > 0:24:05by the contemporary Finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07There are so many parts in the music
0:24:07 > 0:24:10where people just don't know where the sounds are coming from
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and that really draws the listener in, I think.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40APPLAUSE
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Ben demonstrating once again that he's more than a match
0:28:43 > 0:28:46for that very demanding Etude by Salonen.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Next, something a little more lyrical -
0:28:49 > 0:28:52a romance by the 19th-century composer Saint-Saens.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55On paper, very, very simple. But at the same time,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58it really shows a lyrical side to horn playing.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00And to be able to balance this kind of really simple line,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04at the same time as playing this crazy stuff in the Salonen,
0:29:04 > 0:29:06I think that's a really good contrast.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29APPLAUSE
0:31:30 > 0:31:33To close his programme, Ben has chosen a piece
0:31:33 > 0:31:35by the English composer York Bowen,
0:31:35 > 0:31:37who was himself a talented French horn player.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40I think, in the York Bowen, the biggest thing about it
0:31:40 > 0:31:44is the relationship between the horn player and the pianist.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46That's kind of reflected in the writing.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48There's a lot of times where the horn plays
0:31:48 > 0:31:49interlocking melodic lines
0:31:49 > 0:31:51and at other times it's bouncing off each other,
0:31:51 > 0:31:53and there's a richness of harmony and sound.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46APPLAUSE
0:34:46 > 0:34:50Ben Goldscheider finishing in mightily assured style
0:34:50 > 0:34:52in that Sonata by York Bowen,
0:34:52 > 0:34:53but has he done enough
0:34:53 > 0:34:57to secure one of those three places in the grand final?
0:35:00 > 0:35:05Ben shows remarkable maturity and he's a real risk taker.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09He goes for it and, 99 times out of 100, he really delivers.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12I thought Ben had a beautiful sound.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15It was always singing, like liquid gold at times.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18And to do the Salonen from memory, I thought was brave,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21but, boy, did it come off well. It was fantastic.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25Phenomenal technique, which came across particularly well
0:35:25 > 0:35:27in that fascinating Salonen piece.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30For me, the problem with the programme was the Saint-Saens -
0:35:30 > 0:35:32it just didn't really take off for me.
0:35:32 > 0:35:37But the outer two pieces showed his playing off phenomenally well.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39To be perfectly honest, it was a bit of a blur.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42My lips aren't in the best condition I'd like them to be,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45but I'm happy with how it went and just got to see what happens.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51So, Ben played his socks off tonight, didn't he?
0:35:51 > 0:35:53I think he really notched it up a level
0:35:53 > 0:35:55and, right from the first note he played,
0:35:55 > 0:35:57he had us in the palm of his hands.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00He really shared that Esa-Pekka Salonen piece with us in a way
0:36:00 > 0:36:03that just had us all gripped in our seats. I wonder if he almost...
0:36:03 > 0:36:06He was almost like three different people when he played tonight.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09He played the first piece, which was fantastic.
0:36:09 > 0:36:10In the second piece,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13I wonder if he slightly almost lost his focus a little,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15but in the third he really found it again.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17It was a really complete performance,
0:36:17 > 0:36:19but he should be very proud.
0:36:19 > 0:36:20I think he'll be really happy.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23We know that he's an incredibly mature teenager.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26So, whatever happens tonight, he's going to go very far,
0:36:26 > 0:36:28I'm absolutely certain of it.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Now, before we hear the next of our semifinalists,
0:36:30 > 0:36:34a quick word about next Friday, here on BBC Four.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Two years ago, BBC Young Musician introduced
0:36:36 > 0:36:39a brand-new competition for jazz and it's back again this year.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42You'll be able to watch the final next Friday.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47The Young Musician standard is extremely high.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51Such enthusiasm, passion and high technical skill.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56The musicians are getting so great so young, it's wonderful and scary.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Every waking hour,
0:36:58 > 0:37:02music's been somewhere within something that I've done.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05To play music with your friends, I can't think of anything better.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07The best opportunity of my life, really.
0:37:07 > 0:37:08I'm so excited.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16Definitely not to be missed.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19Still to come tonight, 17-year-old saxophonist Jess Gillam
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and 15-year-old pianist Jackie Campbell.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Next, we're going to hear the winner of this year's strings category,
0:37:26 > 0:37:2816-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Sheku Kanneh-Mason is from Nottingham
0:37:37 > 0:37:41and belongs to a remarkably musical family.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44His brother and five sisters all play instruments.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48It's quite a special thing to be able to play music
0:37:48 > 0:37:51with my siblings because we sort of feed off each other's ideas.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54And when you play with someone you know so well, it's just easier.
0:37:54 > 0:37:59At weekends, four of them study at the Junior Royal Academy of Music.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Their elder sister Isata,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04a BBC Young Musician category finalist back in 2014,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07is now a full-time student at the Academy.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Throughout this competition, Sheku's been accompanied by Isata,
0:38:14 > 0:38:16with their younger sister Konya turning pages.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21And they'll be with him again in this semifinal.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Can you describe what it feels like
0:38:23 > 0:38:26to have family literally supporting you on the stage?
0:38:26 > 0:38:29Well, it's great because Isata and I know each other so well,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31so we just understand what we're doing
0:38:31 > 0:38:33without having to verbally express it.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36And having all your family pretty much in the hall,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- is that a good thing?- Yeah, you get that kind of cheer when you come out
0:38:39 > 0:38:41and you feel welcome in the hall.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43How do you prepare for the semifinal?
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Well, I kind of relaxed after the day after the string final
0:38:47 > 0:38:51and reflected on what didn't go so well and what did go well.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56But in terms of practice, there's not much more that I want to change.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Will you be thinking about the final when you step out on that stage,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01or just be concentrating on this as another concert?
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Yeah, I'll just be concentrating as another performance
0:39:04 > 0:39:08cos you can only do that, and the rest is in the adjudicators' hands.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11Are there any particular moments you're really looking forward to?
0:39:11 > 0:39:14My favourite moment is the bit in the Rachmaninov
0:39:14 > 0:39:17where the piano comes out and it's just left with the cello.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20There's that kind of silence in the room and that expectation,
0:39:20 > 0:39:24- so I love that.- What would it mean to you to go through to the final?
0:39:24 > 0:39:27To go through to the final would be great cos I will hopefully
0:39:27 > 0:39:32be playing my favourite concerto, so, yeah, that to look forward to.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37APPLAUSE
0:39:37 > 0:39:39I'm playing the third movement
0:39:39 > 0:39:41from the Suite for Solo Cello by Cassado.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44He's a Spanish composer, a cellist himself,
0:39:44 > 0:39:46so the main section is a Spanish dance
0:39:46 > 0:39:50and it kind of shows all the virtuosity the cello can have.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06Next, Sheku plays the brooding and melancholic
0:43:06 > 0:43:08Morceaux de Fantaisie by Rachmaninov.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31APPLAUSE
0:46:33 > 0:46:36To complete his programme in this BBC Young Musician semifinal,
0:46:36 > 0:46:38Sheku is going to perform
0:46:38 > 0:46:41an early work by one of his favourite composers.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45The Shostakovich is just three minutes of non-stop excitement
0:46:45 > 0:46:47and the interplay between the cello and the piano
0:46:47 > 0:46:49is really important in this piece.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52APPLAUSE AND CHEERING
0:49:53 > 0:49:57A really enthusiastic reaction for Sheku Kanneh-Mason,
0:49:57 > 0:50:01winner of this year's strings category final.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05Such an impressive musician and still just 16.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13I think Sheku is an absolute born performer.
0:50:13 > 0:50:15All three pieces from him just drew the audience in.
0:50:15 > 0:50:17I thought it was fantastic.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19We had spirit and abandon in the Shostakovich,
0:50:19 > 0:50:21and he captured that exquisite sadness
0:50:21 > 0:50:23that you get in Rachmaninov's music.
0:50:23 > 0:50:25He just lit up that stage.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27There was so much fire in the Cassado
0:50:27 > 0:50:31and the Rachmaninov was probably some of the most tender
0:50:31 > 0:50:33sounds that you could make on the cello.
0:50:33 > 0:50:36It was magical and I want to hear it again.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38'It was a lot more welcoming. I thought there was more people
0:50:38 > 0:50:41'out there than the string final, so that really lifted me.'
0:50:41 > 0:50:45You know, I just really enjoyed it and, you know, yeah.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50Ali, today we've been talking about the need for them
0:50:50 > 0:50:51to really stand out as musicians.
0:50:51 > 0:50:53For me, Sheku, there it is.
0:50:53 > 0:50:55That is what a standout performance is,
0:50:55 > 0:50:57particularly in his Rachmaninov.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59That question -
0:50:59 > 0:51:01he's a 16-year-old boy - how is it possible
0:51:01 > 0:51:03that he is able, through his music,
0:51:03 > 0:51:05to somehow, sort of, express everything it is to be human?
0:51:05 > 0:51:08What it is to love, and to live and to grieve,
0:51:08 > 0:51:10and to be moved, and to...
0:51:10 > 0:51:13I mean, just an extraordinary thing from one so young.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16- What did you think?- Yes, I can't believe he's 16, as you say.
0:51:16 > 0:51:17He is a complete artist,
0:51:17 > 0:51:19he's a star
0:51:19 > 0:51:22and he is mesmerising on the stage.
0:51:22 > 0:51:23He's a beautiful person
0:51:23 > 0:51:26and it comes across in everything he plays.
0:51:26 > 0:51:28There were times when he was playing with his sister, Isata,
0:51:28 > 0:51:30and it sounded like one instrument.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33It was just so many magical things happening on the stage at once.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35- You and I both had tears in our eyes.- I know,
0:51:35 > 0:51:36we were weeping during the Rach.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38We think he's going to play the Shostakovich if he
0:51:38 > 0:51:41gets through to the final and what a thing that'll be.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43What a thrill to hear him play the Shostakovich Cello Concerto.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45Absolutely, it would be wonderful.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47We can't speak too soon about that...
0:51:47 > 0:51:50- Of course not.- ..but if it happens, it would be a night to remember.
0:51:50 > 0:51:51It certainly will.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54Well, the next performer hoping to book their place in the
0:51:54 > 0:51:56grand final is the winner of this year's woodwind category,
0:51:56 > 0:51:5917-year-old saxophonist Jess Gillam.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08Jess is from all Ulverston in Cumbria.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11She attends the Junior Royal Northern College of Music
0:52:11 > 0:52:13at weekends and also has lessons
0:52:13 > 0:52:16with the celebrated saxophonist John Harle.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23John is mainly about personality.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27Everything you play has to be full of character and full of energy.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31Well, Jess' performance in the category final was certainly that.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35Having also made it to the woodwind final back in 2014,
0:52:35 > 0:52:37this time she triumphed with a standout performance
0:52:37 > 0:52:40that earned her the trophy.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42- Oh, my...! - CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:52:47 > 0:52:50Jess, you look like you were having so much fun out there onstage.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52- Did you enjoy the category final? - I absolutely loved it.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56When I was stood on stage, I felt completely at home.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59And there were things I know I could have improved,
0:52:59 > 0:53:00and things I wish I'd played better,
0:53:00 > 0:53:03but I loved it and enjoyed it so much.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05Now, of course, you get to do it all over again.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07How does it feel to be in the semifinal?
0:53:07 > 0:53:09To be in the semifinal is amazing.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12I can't quite believe I'm here, but I can't wait to perform again.
0:53:12 > 0:53:16And it's quite a different feeling because I think it's
0:53:16 > 0:53:20more about the music - even more, again - rather than the technique
0:53:20 > 0:53:23because you're against completely different instruments.
0:53:23 > 0:53:24It is about the music you play
0:53:24 > 0:53:27rather than the technique you present.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29One of the cruellest things about the semifinal is that
0:53:29 > 0:53:32only three of you will be going through to the grand final.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35- Will you be thinking about that when you play?- No.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38When I play, I'm thinking about that one note I'm playing
0:53:38 > 0:53:40at that one time.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42There's no room in my head even to be nervous.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46When I stepped out in the category final, that was it -
0:53:46 > 0:53:48I was out. I was performing and playing.
0:53:48 > 0:53:49I couldn't let anything else in.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52The cameras that were moving round, the audience stood there -
0:53:52 > 0:53:55I just had to play and play the best I could.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57And what would it mean to you to make the final?
0:53:57 > 0:53:59It would be crazy.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02A saxophone player has never played a concerto in the final,
0:54:02 > 0:54:05so to do that would be...insane.
0:54:09 > 0:54:10APPLAUSE
0:54:12 > 0:54:15The first piece is Pequena Czarda by Pedro Iturralde.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19It's inspired by Hungarian folk music.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21It's a really fun piece to play.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45UP-TEMPO TUNE RESUMES
0:57:46 > 0:57:48CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:57:50 > 0:57:52Jess Gillam opening her bid for
0:57:52 > 0:57:55a place in next week's grand final.
0:57:55 > 0:57:57Now, she's going to play a piece called Fujiko
0:57:57 > 0:57:59by the British composer Andy Scott.
0:58:00 > 0:58:04It's inspired by a Japanese lady called Fujiko,
0:58:04 > 0:58:08this beautiful, quite dark in places, emotional tune.
1:01:21 > 1:01:23APPLAUSE
1:01:25 > 1:01:28To close her programme, Jess performs the first movement
1:01:28 > 1:01:31of a sonata by the American composer Phil Woods.
1:01:31 > 1:01:36It's a fusion of elements of classical and traditional music
1:01:36 > 1:01:38with jazz music.
1:01:38 > 1:01:40Phil Woods sadly died last year,
1:01:40 > 1:01:44so it's nice to be able to pay tribute to him and play his music.
1:04:40 > 1:04:42CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
1:04:44 > 1:04:47Jess Gillam, 17 years old and the winner of this year's
1:04:47 > 1:04:49woodwind category, giving it her all
1:04:49 > 1:04:52in this BBC Young Musician semifinal.
1:04:54 > 1:04:55SHE LAUGHS
1:04:59 > 1:05:01She just had so much fun out there.
1:05:01 > 1:05:04She really radiated this impish sense of humour,
1:05:04 > 1:05:06especially during her first piece,
1:05:06 > 1:05:08that the audience just ate up and adored.
1:05:08 > 1:05:11Throughout the whole performance, she just oozed musicality
1:05:11 > 1:05:14and you couldn't take your eyes off her.
1:05:14 > 1:05:15She was so magnetic.
1:05:15 > 1:05:17I loved her performance.
1:05:17 > 1:05:21What a riveting, super-alert musical being she is.
1:05:21 > 1:05:24The technique is so solid that she can do so many wonderful
1:05:24 > 1:05:27and different things with the music.
1:05:27 > 1:05:31I absolutely loved it, but there were some places where it went.
1:05:31 > 1:05:34I was focusing on the performance, the overall mood, rather than the
1:05:34 > 1:05:36intricacies, and that meant that,
1:05:36 > 1:05:38in some places, it really wasn't perfect.
1:05:38 > 1:05:40- INTERVIEWER:- Thank you very much. - Thank you.
1:05:40 > 1:05:42- I'm going to cry now. - SHE LAUGHS
1:05:46 > 1:05:48So, Jess Gillam?
1:05:48 > 1:05:50All I can say is that I'm not going to forget tonight
1:05:50 > 1:05:52for a really, really long time.
1:05:52 > 1:05:54She is inspiring.
1:05:54 > 1:05:56Absolutely, Ali, I couldn't agree more.
1:05:56 > 1:05:58I've been presenting this competition for six years,
1:05:58 > 1:06:00I've been watching it for about 30 years,
1:06:00 > 1:06:02and I just don't think we've ever seen her like.
1:06:02 > 1:06:04She is in a league of her own.
1:06:04 > 1:06:07She brings such joy to every single performance.
1:06:07 > 1:06:09You know that she just HAS to make music
1:06:09 > 1:06:11and she's doing it because she loves every note.
1:06:11 > 1:06:14And as a result, she puts the audience at their ease.
1:06:14 > 1:06:16She just makes us so happy as well.
1:06:16 > 1:06:17What a wondrous thing.
1:06:17 > 1:06:20Absolutely. I think not only does she have a flawless technique,
1:06:20 > 1:06:22which is of course vital at this stage,
1:06:22 > 1:06:24and an unbelievable sound,
1:06:24 > 1:06:26she just owns the stage.
1:06:26 > 1:06:27And she just took us on a journey
1:06:27 > 1:06:30that I don't think I've ever experienced before,
1:06:30 > 1:06:32and I don't think that I was expecting to.
1:06:32 > 1:06:35And I think that is the magic that is something like this competition.
1:06:35 > 1:06:38This is the kind of person the competition should be
1:06:38 > 1:06:41creating in the next 20/30 years, but she's here already,
1:06:41 > 1:06:43- and she's 17, and she's really nice. - I know.
1:06:43 > 1:06:45And she's playing the saxophone.
1:06:45 > 1:06:47Now, before we hear from our last semifinalist,
1:06:47 > 1:06:50let's take a quick look at why this competition means
1:06:50 > 1:06:52so much to all of these young performers.
1:06:54 > 1:06:57For nearly 40 years, BBC Young Musician has been
1:06:57 > 1:07:00providing a showcase for the brightest and best.
1:07:00 > 1:07:02It's such an incredible,
1:07:02 > 1:07:06stellar roll of British musicianship over the last decades.
1:07:06 > 1:07:09This has been the springboard into an international career.
1:07:09 > 1:07:12A number of the names are real world-beaters now.
1:07:13 > 1:07:16This is a fantastic chance for them to make a reputation
1:07:16 > 1:07:19and to make an impression on the audience.
1:07:20 > 1:07:23And the list of winners includes some of the biggest names
1:07:23 > 1:07:26and rising stars of classical music.
1:07:26 > 1:07:28- Laura van der Heijden. - CHEERING
1:07:28 > 1:07:30Nicholas Daniel.
1:07:32 > 1:07:34Frederick Kempf.
1:07:35 > 1:07:36- Nicola Benedetti. - CHEERING
1:07:39 > 1:07:43Two years ago, 17-year-old pianist Martin James Bartlett gave
1:07:43 > 1:07:46an unforgettable performance in the final to become the latest
1:07:46 > 1:07:49name to be added to that list.
1:07:49 > 1:07:50CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
1:07:50 > 1:07:52It is the best musical experience I've had
1:07:52 > 1:07:55and I'm sure it will be for the rest of my life.
1:07:55 > 1:07:58So which of these five will be joining that incredible
1:07:58 > 1:08:00group of BBC Young Musician winners?
1:08:00 > 1:08:02Well, the three who are chosen tonight will have to
1:08:02 > 1:08:05give their biggest performance yet in the grand final,
1:08:05 > 1:08:08when they'll play a full concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
1:08:08 > 1:08:11under the acclaimed conductor Mark Wigglesworth.
1:08:11 > 1:08:14You'll be able to see the whole thing, here on BBC Four.
1:08:18 > 1:08:21I do hope you can join Clemmie and me next Sunday.
1:08:21 > 1:08:22Whoever goes through from tonight,
1:08:22 > 1:08:24it promises to be a thrilling concert.
1:08:24 > 1:08:27It certainly does. Well, now it's time to hear
1:08:27 > 1:08:30our last performer in this BBC Young Musician semifinal -
1:08:30 > 1:08:33it's 15-year-old pianist Jackie Campbell.
1:08:39 > 1:08:4215-year-old Jackie is studying for his GCSEs
1:08:42 > 1:08:45at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester,
1:08:45 > 1:08:48but it's the piano that's his main focus.
1:08:50 > 1:08:53'I want to think about the way the music's going together,
1:08:53 > 1:08:56'what it's trying to express,'
1:08:56 > 1:08:58because it expresses its feelings
1:08:58 > 1:09:01much more accurately than words can.
1:09:03 > 1:09:05'I want to be able to give that feeling to people
1:09:05 > 1:09:07'so they can read it,'
1:09:07 > 1:09:09like a story in music.
1:09:11 > 1:09:12Jackie's expressive performance
1:09:12 > 1:09:16in the keyboard category secured him a place in this semifinal.
1:09:19 > 1:09:21- Jackie Campbell. - APPLAUSE
1:09:21 > 1:09:24But his success came as quite a shock to him.
1:09:24 > 1:09:27'I just played and I didn't expect anything.
1:09:27 > 1:09:29'I think we're all really special.'
1:09:29 > 1:09:32Well, I can't speak for myself.
1:09:32 > 1:09:34I take that back, actually.
1:09:34 > 1:09:36Is it just about playing as well as you did,
1:09:36 > 1:09:38or do you think you need that little something extra
1:09:38 > 1:09:40for this particular round?
1:09:40 > 1:09:42Good music is something, Artur Schnabel said,
1:09:42 > 1:09:46"It's music better than it can ever be played". So we're constantly
1:09:46 > 1:09:49trying to bring it more to life
1:09:49 > 1:09:51and express it in a better way,
1:09:51 > 1:09:54and I think that never stops.
1:09:54 > 1:09:56Only three of you are going to get through to the final.
1:09:56 > 1:09:58Will you be thinking about that,
1:09:58 > 1:10:00or will you be treating it just as a normal concert?
1:10:00 > 1:10:02I won't be thinking about that as I play
1:10:02 > 1:10:05cos I think it will distract me from what I'm there to do
1:10:05 > 1:10:09and I just need to perform it properly. The final,
1:10:09 > 1:10:10whether or not that happens,
1:10:10 > 1:10:15I guess life still goes on and music still goes on, so I'm fine with it.
1:10:15 > 1:10:19APPLAUSE
1:10:19 > 1:10:21So here is Jackie Campbell,
1:10:21 > 1:10:25the last to perform in this BBC Young Musician semifinal.
1:10:25 > 1:10:27His first piece is by the 20th-century
1:10:27 > 1:10:29Hungarian composer Ligeti.
1:10:29 > 1:10:33The richness of the music is something that really interests me.
1:10:33 > 1:10:36He explores characters that other composers didn't before,
1:10:36 > 1:10:41things like ambiguity, how his music can be both frightening
1:10:41 > 1:10:43but silly at the same time.
1:12:54 > 1:12:57APPLAUSE
1:12:57 > 1:13:00Next, it's another piece from the 20th century,
1:13:00 > 1:13:04a prelude by the French composer Claude Debussy.
1:13:04 > 1:13:06This piece is really exciting.
1:13:06 > 1:13:09He wrote "fireworks" at the bottom of the score.
1:13:09 > 1:13:10It's the sound of lights.
1:13:10 > 1:13:15It's the way all this magic can come together in a mystical way.
1:17:50 > 1:17:53APPLAUSE
1:17:53 > 1:17:56Jackie also played two preludes by Scriabin
1:17:56 > 1:18:00and, to end this BBC Young Musician semifinal, he's going to perform
1:18:00 > 1:18:04one of Rachmaninov's dramatic Etudes-Tableaux.
1:18:04 > 1:18:08This, he described in a letter as an oriental march,
1:18:08 > 1:18:12and Rachmaninov's obsession with fate
1:18:12 > 1:18:16and it's the darkness that comes across so much of his music
1:18:16 > 1:18:17which interests me.
1:20:36 > 1:20:40APPLAUSE
1:20:40 > 1:20:43Jackie Campbell, the 2016 keyboard category winner,
1:20:43 > 1:20:47bringing what's been an exceptional semifinal to a close.
1:20:53 > 1:20:56Jackie just has incredible facility on the piano.
1:20:56 > 1:20:59He opened his programme with a Ligeti etude
1:20:59 > 1:21:02that's a real technical powerhouse and he just ate up
1:21:02 > 1:21:05all of the ridiculous technical demands that it makes.
1:21:05 > 1:21:10Virtuoso repertoire delivered with considerable technical fluency,
1:21:10 > 1:21:14but as a result we only got a sense of Jackie as one kind of pianist.
1:21:14 > 1:21:16Jackie is so endearing.
1:21:16 > 1:21:20He crafts his musical world so carefully and so intelligently,
1:21:20 > 1:21:22and it's just a joy to watch.
1:21:22 > 1:21:25There's some things I like and there's some things
1:21:25 > 1:21:30I think I want to change, I want to make better,
1:21:30 > 1:21:34more expressive, more meaningful,
1:21:34 > 1:21:37but... I think I'm happy, but I think I'm not finished.
1:21:41 > 1:21:44Well, Jackie, an absolutely exceptional teenage artist.
1:21:44 > 1:21:46You can hardly believe what you're hearing.
1:21:46 > 1:21:49He made such light work of some really fiendish repertoire
1:21:49 > 1:21:52and he's a wonderfully sensitive and intricate musician.
1:21:52 > 1:21:55He really draws us in. I wonder, though, how much does he give back?
1:21:55 > 1:21:57We've seen some performances tonight that really radiate.
1:21:57 > 1:21:59Can he compete with that?
1:21:59 > 1:22:03Well, I think he can compete. He's an exquisite musician.
1:22:03 > 1:22:05His Ligeti, for instance, the first piece,
1:22:05 > 1:22:08I don't think there was anything he needed to pass on.
1:22:08 > 1:22:10He just played it and it just was musical, it made sense,
1:22:10 > 1:22:13it was wonderful. I wonder, as the programme went on,
1:22:13 > 1:22:18if he could have possibly have found a way of giving us even more
1:22:18 > 1:22:21sort of fireworks and pizzazz because, as you say,
1:22:21 > 1:22:25the others have also been really competing at the highest level
1:22:25 > 1:22:28in this way, and he deserves to do so well,
1:22:28 > 1:22:31so I have my fingers crossed for him because he's wonderful.
1:22:31 > 1:22:33They all deserve, of course, to do so well.
1:22:33 > 1:22:34I'm going to be mean and ask you
1:22:34 > 1:22:38- to give us your predictions for tonight.- Well, that's so hard.
1:22:38 > 1:22:40I would say, for me, two places are a dead cert.
1:22:40 > 1:22:43There are two that I'm finding utterly inspiring.
1:22:43 > 1:22:47The third place, in my head, is up for grabs, so anything could happen.
1:22:47 > 1:22:50Well, luckily, it's not us who have to make that decision.
1:22:50 > 1:22:54It has been another absolutely captivating night, here in Cardiff,
1:22:54 > 1:22:57and I really think that all five semifinalists can be so proud
1:22:57 > 1:22:58of what they've achieved.
1:22:58 > 1:23:01They really have taken their playing to another level this evening.
1:23:01 > 1:23:04The jury have now left the hall to make their decision.
1:23:04 > 1:23:07Remember, just three of tonight's young musicians
1:23:07 > 1:23:09will be going through to the grand final on 15th May
1:23:09 > 1:23:11and it's not going to be an easy decision.
1:23:11 > 1:23:14Here's a quick reminder of their performances.
1:23:19 > 1:23:23Like any really good, engaging solo percussionist, there's something
1:23:23 > 1:23:27very physical about him and the way that he gets into his instrument.
1:23:30 > 1:23:33There was a finesse as well, the detail of his work with
1:23:33 > 1:23:37the snare drum, that was a really captivating start to the programme.
1:23:39 > 1:23:44Ben is a natural born storyteller and the first piece, the Salonen,
1:23:44 > 1:23:47the way that he phrased each chapter,
1:23:47 > 1:23:50it really felt like you were going through a story.
1:23:52 > 1:23:54To get that and to communicate it, I think,
1:23:54 > 1:23:59was beyond not only his years but it's pure professionalism.
1:24:06 > 1:24:10Sheku bounced on stage, gave a performance of real energy.
1:24:10 > 1:24:12He was accompanied by his sister.
1:24:12 > 1:24:14There was this very warm feeling on stage.
1:24:20 > 1:24:23He's a really passionate, vibrant cellist
1:24:23 > 1:24:26and he really communicated this through to the audience.
1:24:34 > 1:24:37With Jess, music just seemed to ooze out.
1:24:37 > 1:24:40It was like going straight into a jazz bar in another country, even.
1:24:40 > 1:24:42It was fantastic music-making.
1:24:46 > 1:24:49There's many professional musicians
1:24:49 > 1:24:53that I think don't have the level of musicianship that she has.
1:24:57 > 1:25:02There's a wonderful, charming quality to Jackie and you can see
1:25:02 > 1:25:07in his playing that there is just a world beyond what you're seeing.
1:25:07 > 1:25:10There is a really special tenderness, I think,
1:25:10 > 1:25:12to the way that he makes music.
1:25:13 > 1:25:15I think we can say that...
1:25:15 > 1:25:18'I couldn't be prouder of all of the musicians tonight.'
1:25:18 > 1:25:19Every single one of them,
1:25:19 > 1:25:22I was captivated and really into their performance.
1:25:22 > 1:25:24APPLAUSE
1:25:28 > 1:25:29Ladies and gentlemen,
1:25:29 > 1:25:34I don't think I've ever seen such a sensational semifinal.
1:25:34 > 1:25:36Every single one of the performers that we've seen tonight is
1:25:36 > 1:25:40so incredible and, on another year, they could all be going through.
1:25:40 > 1:25:42Now, please welcome back our jury -
1:25:42 > 1:25:45Meurig Bowen, Alpesh Chauhan, Huw Humphreys, and, to announce
1:25:45 > 1:25:49the names of the three musicians who will be going through
1:25:49 > 1:25:53to the grand final of BBC Young Musician 2016, Dobrinka Tabakova.
1:25:53 > 1:25:56APPLAUSE
1:25:59 > 1:26:00Thank you.
1:26:01 > 1:26:04All five musicians tonight were extremely moving
1:26:04 > 1:26:08and possessed such musicality.
1:26:08 > 1:26:10It was a difficult choice,
1:26:10 > 1:26:14but we were absolutely unanimous that three of these musicians
1:26:14 > 1:26:19just shone, so the three people going through to the grand final
1:26:19 > 1:26:23of BBC Young Musician 2016 are...
1:26:23 > 1:26:25Jess Gillam,
1:26:25 > 1:26:27Ben Goldscheider
1:26:27 > 1:26:29and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
1:26:29 > 1:26:30Please welcome them.
1:26:30 > 1:26:34CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
1:26:51 > 1:26:54'For me, it wasn't simply a level of maturity that they show,
1:26:54 > 1:26:57'but it was a level of engagement with the audience.
1:26:57 > 1:27:00'Their pieces were the vehicles through which
1:27:00 > 1:27:03'they really communicated a very, very strong musical personality'
1:27:03 > 1:27:07and that was absolutely captivating as a jury.
1:27:07 > 1:27:11Now, please join me in welcoming back our other outstanding winners -
1:27:11 > 1:27:15they are all winners - Jackie Campbell and Andrew Woolcock!
1:27:15 > 1:27:17APPLAUSE
1:27:19 > 1:27:24'The three finalists, I think, are just ready to take on the world.'
1:27:24 > 1:27:28They have the personality and the character, and the stage is theirs.
1:27:28 > 1:27:31THEY LAUGH
1:27:31 > 1:27:32You superstar!
1:27:32 > 1:27:35Ben, that was so stunning.
1:27:35 > 1:27:38- You must be so proud of yourself. - I'm really pleased, yeah.
1:27:38 > 1:27:40It's going to be such an amazing final
1:27:40 > 1:27:43- and I can't wait to hear you play Strauss.- Yeah, it'll be nice.
1:27:43 > 1:27:46- I think it's a concerto that doesn't get done so much.- Yeah.
1:27:46 > 1:27:49It's very difficult. I'll be practising it from tomorrow morning.
1:27:49 > 1:27:50Sorry!
1:27:50 > 1:27:52I'm just really looking forward to it.
1:27:52 > 1:27:56What an absolutely amazing night and you just completely nailed it,
1:27:56 > 1:27:59and it was so wonderful to have the two of you on stage together.
1:27:59 > 1:28:02Sheku, how did you feel it went? Quietly confident?
1:28:02 > 1:28:05Really great, yeah. I don't actually remember the performance any more
1:28:05 > 1:28:07but, yeah, I'm just really happy.
1:28:07 > 1:28:09Jess, you look like you enjoyed every second of that.
1:28:09 > 1:28:12I did. I absolutely loved it and I can't believe it!
1:28:12 > 1:28:14It didn't seem like you were in a competition.
1:28:14 > 1:28:16It seemed like you were just in your favourite ever gig.
1:28:16 > 1:28:19Yeah, it has to be about the music, I think,
1:28:19 > 1:28:21because it's so subjective as well
1:28:21 > 1:28:24and, I don't know, all I could do was perform my best.
1:28:24 > 1:28:27You totally did that and then some. Your family must just be...
1:28:27 > 1:28:31Their minds must be blown right now. So proud, they must be bursting.
1:28:31 > 1:28:33- Well done, you were so amazing. - Thank you very much.
1:28:33 > 1:28:35I've been so inspired by you.
1:28:37 > 1:28:41Huge congratulations to Jess, Ben and Sheku.
1:28:41 > 1:28:43We'll be seeing all of them again next weekend,
1:28:43 > 1:28:46when they each perform a concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
1:28:46 > 1:28:49- and conductor Mark Wigglesworth. - And I think we can safely say
1:28:49 > 1:28:52that we're in for a very special evening indeed.
1:28:52 > 1:28:55Join Ali and me, here on BBC Four, next Sunday.
1:28:55 > 1:28:58It's the grand final of BBC Young Musician 2016.
1:28:58 > 1:29:02- But from all of us here in Cardiff tonight...- BOTH: Goodnight.