Percussionist Jordan Ashman has been crowned the BBC Young Musician 2022.
The announcement made by Jury Chairperson Anna Lapwood was met by resounding cheers from family members and supporters and left the 18-year-old almost speechless as he received the trophy and acclaim from the audience at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.
Jordan began playing the drum kit when he was just 7 and is currently studying at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
He has played with the National Children's Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, as well as Youth Brass 2000 and GUS Bands. He recently signed for Tredegar Band and will play with them at the National Finals at the Albert Hall this weekend.
Change lives
As Anna Lapwood said in her introduction to the programme: "This competition really does have the potential to change someone's life."
That will certainly now be the case in what is sure to be the start of an incredible career.
Congratulations have already poured in with Mark Bromley CEO of the National Youth Band of Great Britain saying: "What an incredible achievement for such a wonderful young man. Everyone in the banding world and especially all the friends he has made with us were rooting for him.
What a performance and what an ambassador for everything that is good about playing a musical instrument."
The GUS Band stated: "We are thrilled for Jordan and the family who have all been connected with us over the years. His musical development has been astonishing and a privilege to enjoy.
He deserves the plaudits and the incredible success for which he has worked so hard for."
Don Collins from Youth Brass 2000 added: "We are so proud of Jordan. His performance was simply breathtaking. Seeing him and fellow Percussion Category finalist George Garnett perform this year was such a thrill. What an achievement for such a fine young musician and person."
Immense concerto
Jordan now joins an illustrious list of winners, including fellow percussionists Adrian Spillett (1998) and Fang Zhang (2020). Past winners include the likes of Emma Johnson, David Pyatt, Nicola Benedetti, Peter Moore and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
His Grand Final performance of the immense Jennifer Higdon 'Percussion Concerto' (split into four 'stations' of instruments) accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra under Mark Wigglesworth, saw Jury Chairperson Anna Lapwood state: "Jordan's performance started not with loud, flashy playing, but with exquisite, gentle beauty.
He held the entire room throughout that delicate opening and kept that magic through his whole performance. Jordan combined emotional expression with an easy, assured technique, and moments of brilliance that made all of us catch our breath."
It was thrilling performance that in conductor Mark Wriggleworth's opinion, displayed the stamp of being, "...so keen and so eager and so successful at communicating their passion, communicating everything they feel about the music."
Magician
Following the performance, presenter Jess Gillam said: "What energy! He was so alive on that stage — and the interaction between Jordan and the percussion of the BBC Philharmonic. Power! They had power!"
Fellow presenter Alexis Ffrench said that it, "literally had me spinning in my chair. We had a multi-instrumentalist; we had a magician and I think we had an athlete at one stage.
Absolutely extraordinary. That sense of danger he conjured up -he was playing literally at the extremities of the instruments. He brought a riotous power but also this sublime tenderness..."
Although immediately as he came off stage Jordan said that he couldn't remember much of the performance (including one of his sticks flying out of his hand and into the air in the last bard of the piece), it certainly made an impression on jury member and conductor Ben Gernon who simply said: "It was really good".
Never forget
Following the presentation, and after finally finding his voice Jordan said: "Taking part in BBC Young Musician 2022 was an incredible experience.
Working on the 'Concerto' with Mark Wigglesworth in the Grand Final and performing alongside such amazing musicians including the other competitors and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra was something that I will never forget.
The experience of playing to so many people in the Bridgewater Hall and Saffron Hall was breath-taking. I'm excited to showcase what different percussion instruments can do, and I hope that I have increased people's understanding of percussion and that they can see how vibrant, virtuosic, expressive and dynamic it can be."
Sinking in
He added: "It is still only starting to sink in that I won, but I am really excited for the opportunities that may now come my way."
The Grand Final panel was chaired by organist and broadcaster Anna Lapwood and included BBC Radio 3's Editor for Live Music Emma Bloxham, Southbank Centre's Head of Classical Music Toks Dada, conductor Ben Gernon, and sitar player, composer and producer Anoushka Shankar.
Although it was filmed in September at Bridgewater Hall, the broadcast took place in the October and featured exceptional performances by the other Category Winners: 19-year-old trumpeter Sasha Canter, 18-year-old pianist Ethan Loch, 17-year-old flautist Sofia Patterson-Gutierrez, and viola player Jaren Ziegler, also 17, from London.
Absolutely extraordinary. That sense of danger he conjured up — he was playing literally at the extremities of the instruments. He brought a riotous power but also this sublime tenderness...Presenter Alexis Ffrench
Future of the art form
Speaking about the event, Suzy Klein, BBC Head of Arts & Classical Music TV, said: "These young musicians are the future of the art form, and show audiences that classical music is in constant evolution and that new generations find inspiration in so many different places.
We wish Jordan and all the incredibly talented finalists the best for their future careers."
Further broadcasts
In addition to the coverage on BBC Four and BBC Radio 3, the BBC Young Musician 2022 Grand Final is now available on iPlayer for 12 months, and BBC Sounds for 30 days.
