EMCY (European Music Competition for Youths) is one of the most prestigious competitions on the continent. Fierce competition and staggering high-level performances are the rule of the day, with extraordinary talent making it so difficult to judge who should win the coveted prize.

This year, a Trio from Germany was the recipient of this hard-fought competition. Trio Aura, comprised of Hitomi Derow (Clarinet), Levan Stülpnagel (Violoncello) and Marcel Mok (Pianoforte) won the plaudits of the international panel of judges and part of the prize is the honour to perform in the Victoria International Arts Festival. This is yet another stamp of approval for our Festival in that it is rapidly gaining the recognition of the important and prestigious institutions and competitions on an international level.

This evening’s programme includes works by Muczynski, Shostakovich and the wonderful Clarinet Trio in A Minor op. 114 by Brahms.

Hitomi Derow hails from Filderstadt and has been studying the Clarinet for the past nineyears at the Stuttgarter Musikschule. She is also a member of the Landesjugendorchester Baden-Württemberg and is a recipient of numerous awards. She has also premiered the Concerto for Two Clarinets and Orchestra by her tutor Markus Kern at the Mozartsaal, Stuttgart.

Levan Stülpnagel was born in Filderstadt and has been taking violoncello lessons since 2003, tutored by J. Kefer and J. Hess in Stuttgart. He is also a student at the Musikhochschule, Stuttgart, studying with C. Brotbek. A member of the Landesjugendorchester Baden-Württemberg and twice an award winner of the Jugend musiziert, Levan plays a Ravatin (Vannes 2013) violoncello.

Marcel Mok hails from Stuttgart. He started his pianoforte studies at the tender age of four and has been a student at the Stuttgarter Musikschule since 2003, tutored by R. Noll.  He is also a full-time student at the Universität der Künste, Berlin. A recipient of numerous national and international awards, he made his debut as a concert pianist performing Chopin’s Piano Concerto no. 1 with the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra in 2010.