Cellist Ellen Baumring-Gledhill scooped the title of Emunah Young Musician of the Year. The 14-year-old from Edgware gave "a compelling, very moving performance" of Bloch's prayer at Sunday's JC-supported Emunah Young Musician and Young Singer concert and competition finals.
"I'm delighted, because I didn't expect to win," said Ellen, whose cello performance began the concert at the 250-seater Rudolf Steiner House, Marylebone, where the 19 finalists across both competitions performed. "The cello has been in my family for a long time."
Malcolm Singer, director of music at the Yehudi Menuhin School, and chair of the judges, cited "Ellen's ability to really communicate her tremendous feeling for the music to the audience".
Ellen is a Junior Guildhall member and a music scholar at Mill Hill School. Her uncle and music teacher is Oliver Gledhill (the cellist) and her great grandfather was a Russian cellist, Boris Spivakowsky.
The versatile young musician also gave a piano recital at the concert, having won the piano section in the London heats.
Violinist John Gallant, 12, from west London was Emunah Young Musician runner-up while Eleanor Voak, 11, (recorder) from Oxford won the Sara Freedman Woodwind Prize.
It was "a bit of a special afternoon" for Immanuel College as the Bushey-based school had four students among the 11 Emunah Young Singer finalists. Amber Marks, 15, from Borehamwood was "surprised" to win the coveted title. Also taking part were Jemima Atar, Alex Hilsenrath and Maya Spronz - all were taught by Immanuel College singing teacher Samantha Cooper, who said: "It's good for the school and good for the charity."
The Emunah Young Singer competition is for music theatre and Amber's performance of A Sumer in Ohio from the musical The Last Five Years won her lavish praise. "Amber is a natural performer, she owned the stage from the moment she came on," said Francoise Pierre-Geller, one of the judges.
Amber said she had not expected to win: "Everyone was so good."
The Emunah Singer runner-up was James Harvey, 17, who attends West Herts College - and sings with the City of London choir as a tenor scholar.
In Israel, Emunah is a major provider of welfare services and the audience watched a film about the charity's work with disadvantaged children in Israel. Prizes were presented by Eitan Na'eh charge d'affaires at the Embassy of Israel and Emunah chairman Hilary Pearlman.
There was also a performance by last year's Emunah Young Musician, violinist Poppy McGhee, from Somerset.
The afternoon got even better for Immanuel College when head boy Bertie Green received the Steven Isserlis Prize for the use of music for charitable purposes. He has raised thousands of pounds for charities such as Emunah and Gift.
Singer and songwriter Bertie, 18, performs as his alter ego "Ben Izak" and has just released his debut single, Wildest Dreams. "I feel honoured - thank you for giving me this opportunity," he said.
The other judges were opera singer Teresa Cahill, concert pianist Norma Fisher and Dr David Fligg - the latter had judged the Manchester heats.
Emunah director Deborah Nathan said: "Congratulations to Ellen Baumring-Gledhill and Amber Marks. All the finalists performed to a high standard."
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