FORMER Judd School pupil Matilda Lloyd dazzled musicians from around the world when she won the Eric Aubier International Trumpet Competition this month.
Matilda was one of 124 musicians who took part in the event in Rouen, France and was triumphant in the Masters section – even though she is only 21.
“The standard of competitors was very high,” says Matilda. “The musicians came from all over the world with no upper age limit, so many of the candidates already have jobs in professional orchestras.
“The atmosphere was great! All the candidates were very friendly, as were the organisers, and it felt like one big family by the end of the week.”
In the semi-finals contestants were presented with a ‘Creativity Challenge’.
“For this I chose to dress as a street performer and whistle the different variations of the folk tune Carnival of Venice.”
In the final Matilda played five excerpts with the Opera Orchestra of Rouen and two solos, Légende by Georges Enescu and Intrada by Arthur Honegger.
What set her apart from the rest? “I think that my choice to focus on the interpretation and musicality of the pieces and the overall performance really helped.”
Matilda graduated from Cambridge University with a first-class degree in June.
She is now studying for her Masters degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London with the Head of Brass, Mark David.
Matilda went to Walthamstow Hall girls’ school in Sevenoaks and then entered the sixth form at Judd School in Tonbridge.
She started playing the trumpet aged eight and performed her first solo as a 17-year-old at St Stephen’s Church in Tonbridge.
In 2014 she won both the BBC Young Musician of the Year Brass Final and last year she made her solo debut at the BBC Proms.
