He was a finalist in the 2025 National Youth Music Competition (NYMC) and was the only South African invited to perform as a soloist with the Beijing Youth Symphony Orchestra in June this year.
His name is Quinn Goliath, 17-years-old and a Grade 11 learner at Stellenberg High School. This year’s NYMC marks his third year of participation in the contest.
“I was a finalist in 2025, so I am eager to get a better spot in the finals. Last year, he also received a bronze medal as runner-up in the woodwind category of the competition.
Music is the lifeblood of the Goliath family of Loevenstein in Cape Town. Both his parents played the piano. His brother Kian is also a saxophonist and progressed to the semi-finals of last year’s NYMC. His one grandfather played the organ and was a choir master, whilst the other grandfather played the trumpet.
Quinn’s musical journey started at the age of seven, playing the piano. At the age of ten, he moved to the saxophone. His first and current music teacher is Liam Burden, the conductor of the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (CPYO).
The rising star has two role models, namely Liam Burden and the Siberian-born Valentin Kovalev.
He says he is practising one to two hours per day. Apart from music, the talented musician loves watching television series, hanging out with friends and just being outside.
Once he has achieved his matric, he would love to study engineering or music,
The Flemish composer, Kevin Houben, is his favourite composer. “I love his concerto, Legend of a Giant, as it shows different aspects of music with singing melodies and technical challenges. He shows how the saxophone can sing,” he says enthusiastically.
The talented musician describes himself as outgoing, and his motto in life is a Bible verse from Luke 1:37: “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Should Quinn be able to be an inanimate object, he would love to be a bag of chips, as he likes food.