The National finalists for the 2018 Australian Youth Classical Music Competition have been announced. Open to Australians between 16 and 25 years of age, the Competition encourages young musicians to achieve excellence and further their musical education either in Australia or abroad. Just half of the eight National finalists will go on to perform at the Finals Concert, where they will compete for the $10,000 Overseas Travel Scholarship. A Second Prize of $3000 and a Third Prize of $2000 are also on offer.

This year’s National finalists are violist James Dong, clarinettist Magdalenna Krstevska, violinist Kyla Matsuura-Miller, oboist Ennes Mehmedbasic, pianist Hannah Shin, pianist Rio Xiang, violinist Yebin Yoo and pianist James Zong.

The eight musicians will participate in two concerts held on July 21 and 22, playing a different program on each day in front of a panel of three expert judges.

Established in 1990, the Geelong Advertiser Music Scholarship Trust as it was then known was formed through an initial grant of $60,000 made by the Advertiser. In conjunction with its national prize, a regional competition was introduced in recent years to recognise distinguished musicians from the Geelong region. This year’s regional winner was clarinettist Georgia White, while 2017’s National...