Somerset West young pianist takes top prize at National Youth Music Competition

A 17-year-old pianist from Somerset West has been crowned the winner of the prestigious National Youth Music Competition (NYMC).

Hermanus Schmidt claimed the gold medal and a total of R51 500 in prize money after a week-long contest that concluded on Saturday, December 6, at Stellenbosch University’s Endler Hall.

His winnings included prize money awarded to all contestants who advanced to the third and fourth rounds, along with several top accolades: the Pauline Nossel Prize for the best performance of a classical work by a pianist, the award for the best concerto performance in the final round, and the piano category prize.

The final round saw six young musicians competing for top honours, each performing with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO).

Hermanus, a Grade 11 learner at Paul Roos Gymnasium, has enjoyed a standout year on the competition circuit. He won the Western Cape Piano Festival Competition last year, the Johann Vos Music Competition in August this year, and the Atterbury National Piano Competition two months ago.

He plans to pursue a future in music.

“I feel amazing, and endlessly grateful to be awarded a prize that could truly have gone to any one of the other finalists. It’s incredibly satisfying to know that my hard work has paid off,” he said. 

The NYMC is the only competition in South Africa that allows pianists and orchestral instrumentalists aged 14 to 19 to compete across four rounds, culminating in a final accompanied by the CPO orchestra.

The coordinator of the competition, Aileen Maas, described the standard of this year’s contest as “very high.”

Hermanus's teacher, Professor Mario Nell, praised his student’s dedication.

“Proud beyond words of my remarkable piano student, whose talent and hard work have shone brightly in winning this prestigious national music competition. It fills me with gratitude and pride, not for the trophy, but for the heartfelt growth, dedication, and artistry he brings to the piano every single day.”

Johannesburg’s Yu Qing Peng, a pupil at SAHETI School in Bedfordview, received the silver medal. He also earned the prize for the best performance of a South African work for his performance of Peter Klatzow’s From the Poets (Impundulu), and shared the piano category prize with Hermanus.

Marimba player Kyrah Adams, a second-year student at Stellenbosch University, won the bronze medal and R10 000, along with the category prize for other instruments worth R6 000.

The strings and wind category prizes went to cellist Rebecca Gray and saxophonist James Cilliers respectively, with runners-up awards presented to violinist Emma Henshall (strings) and saxophonist Quinn Goliath (wind).