Ronnie and Rhona Lubner award winners perform at Nationals ‘09

(from left) Cherillee Adams, Dylan Tabisher, Relifoe Olifant, Junnan Sun, Annelize de Villiers, David Solomon, Michael Duffett, Caroline van Renen

Five years ago, the Ronnie and Rhona Lubner Music Awards were introduced, thanks to the music-loving Lubner’s son Derek, into the Sasol South African National Youth Orchestra course. Open only to participants in the course, 22 young musicians elected to take part. They arrived early at the Linder campus to concentrate on winning this prestigious prize. The prize itself? The chance to appear as soloist with the Sasol National Youth Symphony Orchestra the following year, and rich cash awards which are critical to youngsters needing expert tuition and outstanding instruments.
In 2008 the overall winner was Junnan Sun, 18, a first-year B Mus student at the University of Pretoria and a student of Lizette Smith.

Having fallen in love with the look of the clarinet when he was 10, Junnan Sun fell in love with the instrument’s sound and now plays it as an extension of his soul. Television audiences agreed, for Junnan was invited to appear on SABC’s Weekend Live when he played three pieces for the audience around his interview.

Junnan was born near Beijing, before coming to South Africa with his diplomat parents four years ago and staying on after their tour of duty was up. Junnan will perform the Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 2 with the South African National Youth Orchestra this year at 20:00 on 2 July at the Linder Auditorium.

From among Youth Orchestra alumni and Lubner winners, JC Jacobs went on to study at Interlochen in America. He will be performing a solo recital at the Miriam Makeba Auditorium on 29 June at 19:00. For more information please email us.