On the 9^th of May, Queen Charlotte Hall was host to the crème de la crème of the annual Richmond Performing Arts Festival featuring musicians, actors, singers and dancers. The Guest of Honour was the Deputy Mayor, Helen Lee Parsons, who presented some of the many silver cups, not to mention the generous cheques given by local sponsors and Festival patrons.

The 2008 ABC Young Instrumentalist of the Year, violinist, Konrad Wagstyl, dazzled the audience with his technical dexterity; as did Jack Lambert, the Edith Steinitz Young Pianist of the Year, playing one of Liszt’s Petrarch Sonatas with great expression and command of his sound world. The Young Dancer of the Year, Reade Kiefer, gave a captivating performance of a ballet solo on point and the Young Performer of the Year, Dineshi Nirgunananthan, embodied the character of Shakespeare’s Eleanor with conviction and excellent diction.

For this reviewer there were two performances that stood out for their artistry and sheer beauty of line – all the more remarkable because in each instance the effect was achieved in partnership: the beautifully matched singing of Mary Galloway, the ABC Young Singer of the Year, and Anna Cavaliero in the popular Flower Duet and the equally impressive dance duo of Joanna Gregory and Lewis Ryland showing strength underpinning graceful and flowing lines of movement in their expressive modern duet "Kissing You".

To add to the sense of occasion, the Orchard House School Senior Choir performed two pieces with their director, Simon Gower, and a young orchestra, The 4a Ensemble, conducted by Greg Wheeler performed the famous Pavane by Gabriel Fauré. All in all a most enjoyable evening and an annual event to be anticipated with eagerness.