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Final three named in 91Èȱ¬ hunt for Classical Star
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It's an all-Celt final for 91Èȱ¬ Two's Classical Star, with two Scots and an Irish youngster competing to win the title, it was revealed at the end of the penultimate episode on Tuesday 6 November.
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Bassoonist Karen Geoghegan and guitarist Ian Watt from Scotland, along with Irish pianist Sophie Cashell have been selected by the judges to compete in the final.
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The final takes place at the prestigious LSO St Luke's, where they will be accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia.
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For one of these exceptional young musicians, the opportunity of a lifetime is just one step away.
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To win a recording contract with top label Universal Classics and Jazz, they will have to impress the judges: conductor Charles Hazlewood; double bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku; artist manager Steve Abbott and conductor Jason Lai.
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There is nothing more their Music Director and mentor Matthew Barley can do to help them.
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Matthew said: "Karen, Sophie and Ian now have to appear in front of a professional orchestra, it's a huge challenge. I think really it's a level playing field. They start again when they come out on that stage. At the moment I have no sense of who is going to come out of that as a winner."
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There is still a great deal of work to do as the three must work on the constructive criticisms offered by the judges:
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Chi-chi Nwanoku explained to Karen: "There is a bit of an issue still – as far as you almost apologising for the fact that you are playing a less popular instrument. Stop apologising for the fact it's a bassoon."
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Steve Abbot advised Sophie: "One of the comments we made to you was about your apologetic sort of approach to your music. We still feel like you're excusing the fact that you're about to go and play your piece. If you are to go forward in this programme it's a vital part of your development that needs to be worked on if ever you are to be successful especially at this stage in your career."
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Charles Hazelwood said to Ian: "We still feel that you do need to work on loosening up. It's not just a postural thing it's also to do with the way you engage with the music and therefore through the music with the audience. So that actually you can stand up and scream from the highest rooftop that the guitar can be king."
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The finalists
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Sophie Cashell, 19, from Balbriggan in Ireland started playing the violin when she was just four years old but turned her attentions to the piano when she was ten or 11. With a performance in Wigmore Hall already under her belt, Sophie's ultimate ambition is to have a performance career with solo and chamber music. In her spare time she reads, listens to a wide range of music including Radiohead and The Kinks, and is an avid supporter of the Irish Rugby team.
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Karen Geoghegan, 19, grew up with her musical family in West Lothian. She started playing the violin aged six but discovered the bassoon on a shelf when she was 12 and just gave it a go. Since then she won the junior department concerto competition at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and now studies at the Royal Academy of Music London. Karen loves the versatility of the bassoon and wants to show the world the bassoon as a solo instrument. If she couldn't be a musician she would be a mathematician.
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Ian Watt's passion for the guitar was sparked by Dire Straits but it was The Beatles that inspired him to take up the guitar seriously when he was nine. The 16-year-old from Fraserburgh in Scotland performed with a local rock band before he turned his attentions to the classical guitar. Ian strongly believes that people don't appreciate the beauty in classical music or indeed listen carefully enough in a society surrounded by ugly sounds. He dreams of being an international ambassador for classical music.
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Viewers can also follow the exploits at bbc.co.uk/classicalstar.
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CC2
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