Junior Guildhall students announced as BBC Young Musician 2022 Category Finalists

14-year-old violinist Aki Blendis,17-year-old horn player Daniel Hibbert and 18-year-trumpet player Sasha Canter, have reached the Category Final of this year’s BBC Young Musician competition. Aki and Daniel both attend Junior Guildhall, whilst Sasha studied at Junior Guildhall from 2017–2021.

Aki started learning the violin at the age of four with Elisabeth Waterhouse. He was a pupil of Felicity Lipman for six years, and now studies with Ivo Stankov at Junior Guildhall. 

Daniel comes from Liverpool and began the French horn at the age of ten. He currently studies with Dave Bentley at Junior Guildhall. In 2021, he was runner-up in Junior Guildhall's Lutine Prize competition, the equivalent of the senior school’s Gold Medal competition. 

Sasha comes from Oxfordshire and has been playing the trumpet since he was eight years old. He has been a member of Junior Guildhall for four years and now studies the trumpet and the natural trumpet with Simon Munday. 

BBC Young Musician brings the Category Finals of the 2022 competition to Saffron Hall from 6–10 July. Aki will perform in the Strings Category Final on 6 July, whilst Daniel and Sasha will perform in the Brass Category Final on 8 July.  

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