The 2025 National Youth Music Competition (NYMC) will be the last opportunity for cellist James Cilliers to take the laurels.

This talented first-year student at Stellenbosch University has contested the NYMC twice before.

“I am a massive advocate for music competitions, as these competitions contribute substantially to the development of young musicians. Every time I have competed in the NYMC, I have had an incredible learning experience. It is a great way to share music with other great musicians of the same age.

Hailing from Schoongezicht in Cape Town, the 19-year-old musician started his musical career when he was nine years old. He also plays the oboe and “a bit of bass guitar”. His first music teacher, Liam Burden, is still tutoring the rising star.

According to James, everyone in his family – his parents and three siblings - plays a musical instrument, “and all are quite proficient,” he boasts. His older brother plays the violin and the guitar. The two younger sisters both play the violin, and one of them also plays the piano.

The rising star’s favourite composer is the German composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. “Few pieces give me as much joy to play as the works by Bach.”

The young saxophonist’s role model is none other than his teacher, Liam Burden.

James says he is daily practising the saxophone for three hours.

If he could be an animal, he would like to be an eagle. “I want to know what it is like to fly,” he smiles.

After university, he plans to be a performer, as well as doing his master's degree in music overseas.

He describes himself as short and lives by the motto. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”