Mountview Student Wins Young Scottish Musical Theatre Performer of the Year

Samuel Anderson – Young Scottish Musical Theatre Performer of the Year 2023

The Young Scottish Musical Theatre Performer of the Year 2023 competition final was held on 21 May and we were delighted when Samuel Anderson, a first year at Mountview, was announced as the overall winner.

One of the aims of the competition is to promote the young Scottish performer and give them an opportunity to perform in front of a large audience. Participants were judged on their vocal skills and charactetisation, as well as their ability to deliver different styles and communicate to an audience.The competition featured two heats, from which four finalists were chosen – including fellow Mountview student Chiara Smith.

We caught up with Samuel following his win to hear about his experience in the competition. Here’s what he shared with us:

“I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this competition. I believe it was a good opportunity to display the skills and efforts I have learned so far during my time at Mountview. Just having the opportunity to perform on a stage in-front of a live audience again was an amazing experience. The advice and feedback given to me from the judges are things that I will carry with me throughout the duration of my training and further experiences in the industry. I am very much looking forward to seeing how the Scottish performing and musical theatre industries will continue to progress through the years.”

Of her experience, Chiara commented:

“The experience of The Young Scottish Musical Theatre Performer of the Year was one like none I’ve had before.  To be surrounded by so much talent, and have all those talented people come from your home country was a very special moment.  Additionally, being close to home meant my family were able to watch me perform for the first time since covid just made the whole process even more precious. The whole process was a celebration of who we are and where we’re from and I enjoyed every second.”

The last time a Mountview student won this title was in 2018, when Ryan Kopel scooped the prize. Since graduating, Ryan has been cast in some fantastic shows including The Book of Mormon and Newsies.

Congratulations Samuel and Chiara!