The trials of the 36^th Macao Young Musician Competition, organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, have been concluded successfully. The Special Prizes Competition was held on 15 July at the Institute for Tourism Studies, promoting exchange between music students and offering a musical feast for the audience. Chan Wai Chon was awarded the Cultural Affairs Bureau Prize, and the winners of other categories in the Special Prizes Competition were also unveiled.

The jury of the Special Prizes Competition comprised the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Orchestra, Lu Jia; the Principal Conductor of the Chinese Orchestra of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Dai Luqing; and the conductor of the Taipei Youth Chinese Orchestra, Chen Ju-Chi. An award ceremony was held with the presence of the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mok Ian Ian and the Head of the Department of Performing Arts Development of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Iu Wai Man, among others.

Chan Wai Chon, winner of the Cultural Affairs Bureau Prize, aged 18, is the first-prize winner of both the saxophone advanced category and the woodwind concerto advanced category. Mentored by Tam Ou Man, he began learning how to play the saxophone at the age of ten and subsequently joined the Macau Youth Symphonic Band. In 2013, he attended the General Artistic Programme at the School of Music of the Macao Conservatory under Timothy Sun. In 2017, Chan Wai Chon, mentored by Hugo Loi, obtained the Music Performance Diploma in Saxophone from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) with honours. In the competition, Chan Wai Chon performed a difficult concerto, with a subtle and precise interpretation of tones as well as a rich sense of rhythm and musicality, receiving high acclaim from the jury. Chan Wai Chon will receive a scholarship from the Cultural Affairs Bureau for the first year tuition fee of a relevant undergraduate or precollege music course

The contests of all other categories of the Special Prizes Competition were also extraordinary, and all participants gave their best in the performances. All winners may collect their award certificates and evaluation sheets from 20 to 22 September, from 10am to 7pm (including at lunch hours) at the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building located at Tap Siac Square. For details, please visit the Macao Young Musician Competition’s webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/cjmm.
The list of winners of the Special Prizes Competition is as follows: