Bright young guitarist carries off award and $5,000 into the bargain.

Canberra-trained classical guitarist, Stephanie Jones, has won the 2014 National Fine Music Network Young Virtuoso Award, a national competition that attracts the finest young musical talent from across Australia. The award was announced in Adelaide on November 22 at the national finals organized by Fine Music station 5MBS-FM. Stephanie receives a $5,000 cash prize sponsored by participating Fine Music Network stations.

This follows Stephanie’s success in being selected for the 2014 ArtSound FM Fine Music Network Young Virtuoso Award (ACT) in November, through which she received a $500 prize, thanks to an anonymous donor. The competition is sponsored by Canberra’s Music and Arts Radio Station, ArtSound FM92.7 and participating Fine Music Network stations, and supported in the ACT by the Friends of the ANU School of Music and the Bungendore Woodworks Restaurant & Gallery. The Friends of the School of Music generously sponsored the selected finalist, covering the cost of interstate travel which enabled Stephanie to travel to Adelaide to compete in the finals.

Stephanie has been studying Honours in Classical Guitar performance at the ANU School of Music under the guidance of Timothy Kain. “The School of Music could not be more delighted!” said Head of School, Professor Peter Tregear. “Stephanie is an outstanding performer and contributor to the wider musical community. We congratulate her and her teacher Tim Kain on this great achievement, and also ArtSound FM for their support of this great competition”

 The School of Music and ArtSound FM have a longstanding partnership to help support the development of young musicians in the ACT.