Competitions 2023 - the prizewinners

This year the BFS Competitions were held over two days, with flute players coming together from across the country to share their talents and receive feedback from brilliant adjudicators - and there were some fantastic prizes to be won too.

School Performer and Young Performer categories

School Performer winners Hanhan Qu, Neo Millar, Mayukhjit Chakraborty and Erin Eaves, with adjudicators Kevin Gowland and Lisa Nelsen

On Sunday 26 February, the School Performer and Young Performer categories were held live at Loughborough Schools Music. We heard some stunning performances by young players, there was a lunchtime performance given by previous competition prize winners Manni Geng and Emily Moores, and we even had chance to play some ensemble music together. Our new BFS merchandise and tuck shop proved to be really popular, particularly the super tasty cookies! 

Adult Amateur and Young Artist categories

On Sunday 12 March, it was the turn of the Adult Amateur and Young Artist categories at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. This was a very busy day, with a large number of competitors and some outstanding performances. We were treated to performances by previous competition prize winners Karen Wong and Maia Roberts in the lunchtime concert, and had the opportunity to visit trade stands from Just Flutes, Pearl, Forton Music and ABRSM, as well as those attending for the saxophone event being run simultaneously.

Young Performer winners Conrad Ho, Joseph Geary, Chonchanok Sophonpanich, Lauren Booth, Lucy Barrett, Emily Moores and Josie Annikki Wakefield, with adjudicators Kevin Gowland, Carla Rees and Lisa Nelsen

A huge thanks must go to Richard Shaw, not only for his beautiful and sympathetic playing, but also for doing the job of two accompanists at the last minute. No mean feat! His knowledge of the flute repertoire and supremely calm approach to everything is absolutely invaluable. We are also really grateful for the patience and understanding competitors and audience members showed as we jiggled schedules throughout the day to make everything work.

It was fantastic to be able to hold our first live competition events since 2019, and also get to meet many of the faces we had only seen on screen over the past couple of years. We’re incredibly grateful to our adjudicators, accompanists, audience, people who made donations, prize sponsors, trade, and BFS Council members and volunteers who supported the BFS Competitions this year, without whom the events could not have happened, and of course all the competitors who took part and shared their beautiful flute playing with us all. 

Competitions 2023 Prizewinners

Young Artist prizewinners Daisy Noton, Hollie Tibbotts and Cyrus Chun Hei Lam, with judges Marie-Christine Zupancic and Emily Beynon

Atarah’s Legacy Fund Memorial Prize - Lucy Barrett

An award of up to £500 to support the musical education of a promising player from any category - read the full winner announcement here.

Category prize winners

Adult Amateur winners Christina Brugger, Matilde Rahtz and Sofia Piccoli, with judges Sandy Hay and Julie Wright

School Performer

  • 1st Prize - Mayukhjit Chakraborty £125 Just Flutes voucher plus the opportunity to perform at a BFS event

  • 2nd Prize - Neo Millar - £50 June Emerson voucher

  • 3rd Prize - Hanhan Qu - £25 ALRY voucher

  • Highly Commended - Erin Eaves

  • Yamaha Prize - Neo Millar - Yamaha YFL-372GL Flute


Young Performer

  • 1st Prize - Joseph Geary - ALRY Prize - £150 ALRY voucher and a £25 voucher to spend at Just Flutes, £100 All Flutes Plus voucher, plus the opportunity to perform at a BFS event

  • 2nd Prize - Chonchanok Sophonpanich - Newmoon Insurance Prize - £125 voucher to spend at Just Flutes

  • 3rd Prize - Lauren Booth - £30 Wonderful Winds voucher, £25 All Flutes Plus voucher 

  • Highly Commended - Emily Moores, Josie Annikki Wakefield and Lucy Barrett

  • Pearl Prize - Conrad Ho - Pearl PFP-105E/OM piccolo

  • Audience Vote - Chonchanok Sophonpanich


Young Artist

  • 1st Prize - Cyrus Chun Hei Lam - £150 All Flutes Plus voucher, ALRY Prize - £150 ALRY voucher and a £50 voucher to spend at Just Flutes, plus the opportunity to perform at a BFS event

  • 2nd Prize - Daisy Noton - 50E Furore Verlag voucher, £100 ALRY voucher

  • 3rd Prize - Hollie Tibbotts - £50 Tetractys voucher, £25 All Flutes Plus voucher

  • Highly Commended - Samantha Rowe and Isabelle Harris

  • MAS Prize - Daisy Noton - One year’s free subscription to the Musician’s Answering Service


Adult Amateur

  • 1st Prize - Christina Brugger - Benslow Music Prize (a complimentary place on a Benslow course of the winner’s choice) plus the opportunity to perform at a BFS event

  • 2nd Prize - Matilde Rahtz - Newmoon Insurance Prize - £125 voucher to spend at All Flutes Plus

  • 3rd Prize - not awarded this year

  • Highly Commended - Sofia Piccoli

Sophie McGrath