TWO young musicians have made it through to the final of a national music competition after wowing judges.

Singer Francesca Power, a pupil at St Mary’s School in Ascot, won the vocal section of the South East Regional Final in Maidstone, Kent, on Saturday of the Rotary Young Musician of the Year competition.

She impressed judges with her renditions of Donizetti’s ‘Me voglio fa na casa’, ‘And this is my beloved’ from musical Kismet and ‘Think of Me’ from Phantom Of The Opera’.

Pianist Robert Cheung, a home-tutored youngster from Sunningdale, topped the instrumental section after performing Liszt’s ‘Liebestraum’ and ‘The Cat and the Mouse’ by Aaron Copeland.

The judges, all professional musicians, commended the pair on their engagement with the audience by also providing background information on the pieces they were about to perform.

Alan Clare, president of the Rotary Club of Ascot, said: “We are delighted to be fortunate enough to have two local competitors of such a high standard as to qualify to participate in the national final of this prestigious competition. Already some of our Rotary club members are planning to travel down to Truro to support these youngsters at the final.” The pair will now compete in the national final on May 3 in Truro, Cornwall.