NYMC saxophonist flies SA flag in China

Saxophonist Quinn Goliath, 16, from Loevenstein in Cape Town, flew to China on Saturday, 30 May, to perform as a soloist with the Beijing Youth Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.
Quinn was a finalist in the 2025 National Youth Music Competition (NYMC). He also won a bronze medal as runner-up in the woodwind category of the competition.
The young learner of Stellenberg High was alerted to the China opportunity by someone who saw him performing at the NYMC Finalists’ Gala Concert last year. He consequently submitted a successful application. He is the only South African who qualified.
He will be accompanied by Dr Arisa Voges, the principal of the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre,

Established in 2024, the Beijing Youth Symphony Orchestra comprises more than 130 young and passionate musicians from the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing 101 Middle School, and the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China. These young musicians showcase the vitality, vision, and talent in modern China and reflect the energetic, open-minded, and innovative spirit of the capital city, Beijing.
Quinn says that, as the requirements were only for classical instruments, he was not too hopeful of being selected. When he received the news that he was accepted, he was overly shocked.
“I feel super excited as this is the first time that I will be spreading my music overseas. It’s a great opportunity, and I look forward to expanding my musical knowledge.
“This experience has taught me to never doubt myself and my expectations. One never knows what could happen next, and one is so much more capable of things than one thinks,” brims Quinn.
He will perform the same work that he performed in the NYMC finals in the Forbidden City Hall in Beijing. It is the Oboe Concerto, in D Minor, SD 935 by the Italian composer, Benedetto Marcello. Watch Quinn’s 2025 NYMC final round performance on YouTube