This year’s Year 7 Music Scholars have been named after succeeding in a highly competitive short-listing process and then performing strongly in a special concert.
The five scholars – Alfie Clarke, Haran Jeyendran, Showgo Kimura, Andy Lau and Karnan Sembian – were among 12 boys who were short-listed for the concert. Each performed before an independent, external adjudicator, Simon Walton, Acting Director of Music at University College School, Hampstead. Mr Williams commended the boys on their high level of preparation and skill.
The concert programme included music from a wide range of genres, including Indian classical music, unaccompanied Bach on the cello and jazz by Oscar Peterson on the piano.
Headmaster Neil Enright presented certificates to the scholarship winners. “It is very pleasing to see the depth and breadth of musical talent at QE, and to know that we provide an environment in which such talent is nurtured,” he said. “Although, we encourage all our boys to excel at, and to enjoy, a broad range of disciplines, Music has always had a special place in the life of the School.”
A brief résumé of the five new scholars follows:
- Alfie Clarke has been learning the classical guitar since Year 2 and at his last school performed both as soloist and as part of various ensembles
- Haran Jeyendran has been learning the miruthangam (a percussion instrument) since the age of four. He also learns Carnatic singing, the electronic keyboard and the alto saxophone. Haran is a member of the QE Junior Indian Music Ensemble
- Showgo Kimura started playing the violin at the age of seven. He passed Grade 5 Music Theory with Merit last autumn and is currently preparing for Grade 6 practical. He is a member of the Junior String Orchestra and Choir
- Andy Lau also started violin lessons when he was seven years old. He is a member of the Finchley String Orchestra and took part in the Barnet One Voice concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2010. Andy is a member of the QE Junior String Orchestra
- Karnan Sembian has been learning the miruthangam since 2007 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Karnan has performed in a large number of concerts organised by QE.
Music Scholars receive financial support which can be used to reduce the cost of music tuition or to upgrade an instrument.
The other finalists were: Abbas Adejonwo; Abbeykeith Kugasenan Chettiar; Ricky Eatough; Shiran Gnanraj; Ghavin Kuganesan; Dillon Shah and Joshua Wong.