Eighteen-year-old Euan Lukjanenko has won Ashby Rotary's Young Musician Competition.

The event was held at Ashby School last week and Euan sang 'Music of the Night' from Andrew Webber's musical Phantom of the Opera.

On the night, the adjudicators and the audience were impressed with the Ashby School pupil's musicianship and delivery of the song.

He is only the second vocalist to have won the title in the last 20 years, the other being Harriet Eyley in 2007 and 2008.

While the age range for the competition is six-17 years, Euan was 17 on the date of his entry.

Euan Lukjanenko, Ashby Rotary Young Musician 2025, singing 'Music of the Night'

Euan will now go forward to the District Finals, due to be held in February next year at the Dixie Grammar School in Market Bosworth.

Oliver Pope, who sang 'When She Loved Me' by Randy Newman, won the Fred Williams Musicianship Award which recognises young people who demonstrate high levels of musicality regardless of experience or technical ability.

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It was presented by the Williams family in memory of Fred, a Rotarian of many years' standing who had been an enthusiastic supporter of young musicians in the town.

Fran and Susie Williams present the Fred Williams Musicianship Award to Oliver Pope

Oliver will join Euan in the District Finals, as will harpist Effie Bowman, both from the Intermediate Age Group and trombonist Theo Jenkins from the Junior section.

There was talented competition in the Senior Section, and saxophonist Suzanne Iselin, and Samuel Pope who played the tuba, were selected to go forward to the District Finals.

Adjudicators Bruce Parry and Tom Stanyard gave each competitor constructive comments on their performance and congratulated them on standing in front of a large audience, for the first time for many of them.

Ashby Rotary Young Musician entrants with adjudicators Bruce Parry and Tom Stanyard, President Margaret Hawksworth, District Governor Chris Knight, Mrs Catherine Matthews, Head of Ashby School Music, and Rotarian John Sedgley

District Governor Chris Knight presented Euan with the Young Musician Award and praised all of the competitors for their entertaining performances.

He thanked parents and teachers too for their support and added: "We are most grateful to the school for the use of their premises again and to Rotary President Margaret Hawksworth for compering the occasion, and to Rotarian John Sedgley and his team for organising the event."

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