THE “brilliant and very charming” Thalia Ensemble, from the Netherlands, have won the 2013 York Early Music International Young Artists Competition.

Organised by the National Centre for Early Music, in conjunction with BBC Radio 3 and the Yorkshire branch of Arts Council England, the biennial event culminated in three days of performances last Thursday to Saturday at the NCEM as part of the 2013 York Early Music Festival.

The Dutch group triumphed over robust competition from nine ensembles in a competition featuring young musicians from 16 different countries.

Their fellow young artists in the Saturday final were Der Musikalische Garten, Ensemble Versailles and On Air, from Germany; Les Mélomanes, Duo Domenico and Repicco, from Britain; Duo 1702, from Denmark; Ensemble Daimonion, from Switzerland; and Seldom Sene, from the Netherlands.

Each ensemble gave their final recital, recorded by BBC Radio 3, in front of a panel of judges comprising: chairman Laurence Cummings, conductor and harpsichordist; Bart Demuyt, director of the Laus Polyphony Festival in Antwerp; Philip Hobbs, classical recording producer and engineer; Wieland Kuijken, influential viola da gamba pioneer; and Stevie Wishart, composer and performer.

The Thalia Ensemble, comprising Belén Nieto Galán, flute, Sarah Aßman, oboe, Diederik Ornée, clarinet, Hylke Rozema, horn, and José Rodrigues Gomes, bassoon, impressed the judges with Grand Finale: The Masters’ Last Wish, their Saturday performance of excerpts from the last quintets by the two grand masters of the wind quintet, Danzi and Reicha.

The winners’ prizes were a £1,000 cheque, opportunities to work with BBC Radio 3, a concert at the 2014 York Early Music Festival and a CD recording produced by Linn Records.

Highlights of the competition and music from the winners’ recital will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show on Sunday, August 11 at 1pm.

“What a fantastic final,” said panel chairman Laurence Cummings afterwards. “It was a day full of joyous music-making that showed every effect from the transcendent euphoria to the death knell of a lament.

“The standard of playing was superb. Altogether a very uplifting experience and lovely for the jury to sit back and soak it all in.”

The competition was presented by singer, coach and language specialist Richard Jackson, who said: “I’ve been particularly impressed by the great scholarship these very talented young musicians have shown in devising and preparing their programmes.

“They clearly love what they do and it has been wonderful to see such great expressivity both musically and physically.”

NCEM director Delma Tomlin said: “The overall standard has been especially high, which has given our judges a tough, but thoroughly enjoyable task, over three days.

“We’ve been impressed not only by the ensembles’ excellent musicianship and fine ensemble playing but also their warm acknowledgement of their fellow competitors and our audiences’ appreciation of their performances. We wish them all great success in their future careers.”

The EUBO Development Trust Prize for the most promising young artists was won by Der Musikalische Garten; the York Early Music Festival Friends Prize was awarded to Duo Domenico.

The next York Early Music International Young Artists Competition will take place in 2015 as part of the York Early Music Festival. To view the 2013 final online until August 24, visit new.livestream.com/YorkEarlyMusic/YoungArtists