The ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards is an annual competition which encourages the talent and ambitions of Australia's young musicians. Originally called the Concerto and Vocal Competition, the Awards have provided opportunities for an extraordinary number of our finest classical performers, including Geoffrey Parsons, Roger Woodward, Vernon Hill, Glenys Fowles, Neil Warren-Smith, Nathan Waks, Rosamund Illing, Diana Doherty and Adele Anthony.
Watch the 2008 Grand Final
Grand Final
Watch the grand final from Hamer Hall with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Arvo Volmer.
Watch the 2008 Finals
Strings Final
Watch highlights from the Strings Final with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Verbistsky at the Adelaide Town Hall.
David Campbell
Rebecca Chan
Ji Won Kim
Zhu Wen
Keyboard Final
Watch highlights from the Keyboard Final with the Queensland Orchestra conducted by Pietari Inkinene at Conservatorium Theatre.
Maxwell Foster
Alex Rainieri
Oliver She
Anne Veinberg
Other Instruments Final
Watch highlights from the Other Instruments Final with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marc Taddei at Federation Concert Hall.
Lina Andonovska
Vivienne Brooke
Jessica Foot
Sandy Sin
Young Performer of The Year - Winner Announced
Maxwell Foster has won the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year Award 2008. Maxwell along with the other finalists played to a capacity crowd at Hamer Hall, Victorian Arts Centre on Friday 19 September.
Sixteen year old Maxwell received a $20,000 cash prize, a professionally-produced CD of his winning performance,
the Sir Charles Moses Trophy and concert engagements with major Australian symphony orchestras, as well as his own
recital in the Sydney Opera House's Utzon Room. He was also presented with the 2008 David Paul Landa Scholarship,
which is awarded biennially to the winning pianist, and which is administered by Musica Viva.
Rebecca Chan (Vic) played the Korngold Violin Concerto,
Jessica Foot (Vic) the Strauss Oboe Concerto and
Maxwell Foster (Qld) finished the competition with Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1.
Paul Fitzsimon, the Symphony Australia MSO Assistant Conductor, conducted J Strauss Jnr's Die Fledermaus
overture while the adjudicators came to a decision.
The evening was hosted by Alan Brough and Emma Ayres and the grand finalists performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arvo Volmer.
2008 Finalists
Lina Andonovska |
Vivienne Brooke |
David Campbell |
Rebecca Chan |
Jessica Foot |
Maxwell Foster |
Ji Won Kim |
Alex Raineri |
Oliver She |
Sandy Sin |
Anne Veinberg |
Zhu Wen |
