Tanya excels at 2019 SAMRO National Music Competition

One of our Grade 6 Kumon Students from the Edenvale Study Centre did so well at the 2019 SAMRO Hubert van der Spuy National Music Competition. Tanya achieved a bronze medal for being the third prize overall winner, and was also awarded prizes for being the runner-up in the piano category, and for the best performance of a classical work.

Tanya has played piano since she was four-and-a-half years old. She enjoys performing music, and enjoys that it also provides you an opportunity to showcase what you have learnt. In June 2019, Tanya made her piano concerto debut when she performed with the Rand Symphony Orchestra playing the 1st Movement of Mozart No.19 Piano Concerto. That same month, she was also selected to play with the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra during the Junior Concerto festival. Tanya passed her Grade 5 theory exam with merit in May 2019, and passed her piano Trinity Grade 7 exam in October of the same year. 
 

Currently, Tanya is working on her Trinity Grade 8 exam, as well as preparing for the 2020 Hennie Joubert National Piano Competition being held in Stellenbosch in May, and the 2020 SAMRO Hubert van der Spuy National Music Competition being held in September. Dad Liang would like Tanya to become a performing pianist one day, but Tanya would also like to combine this with teaching music so that she is able to make a consistent living.

Studying the Kumon Maths Programme really benefits Tanya. She feels that it has given her knowledge she did not have before, and it shows you different techniques to solve problems and to focus on areas that need development. She loves that it is mathematics at an international level. The Kumon Programme helps Tanya to achieve that little bit more at school, where she is already doing well. Tanya feels that the Maths worksheets help with her brain functioning for all areas of her life, including her music.

What is Tanya’s favourite piece to play at the moment? It is Mozart’s K330, 1st Movement. Mozart is difficult for most people, young and old, to play, but Tanya really enjoys playing Mozart.

When not doing school, Kumon or playing piano, Tanya enjoys listening to all genres of music, from popular music right through to the classical pieces that she is learning to play. She also loves reading fantasy books.

We wish Tanya well as she prepares for her Trinity Grade 8 exam, as well as for the music competitions she will be taking part in, in 2020. We look forward to hearing about all her future accomplishments, both in music as well as academically.