Mia Nguyen Performs at Bexley Young Musician of the Year
Recently, my friend Mia went to perform at the Bexley Young Musician of the Year. I went to see her perform, and it was a really amazing performance. Bexley Young Musician of the Year is an event where young performers perform in a concert type of setting to display their varied skills and talents on an instrument. She played the violin really well, it was really nice to listen to it.
Q) What inspired you to play in the Young Musician of the Year?
A) I wanted to see what it was like, and I thought it would be a good experience for me, as I’m still young, and I wanted to see where I was at and what it would be like to perform.
Q) What did you choose to play and why?
A) I played Kreisler Preludium and Allegro because it showed a range of techniques that I can do on the violin, and it’s able to showcase how I can play musically with the violin.
Q) Did you enjoy performing in the contest?
A) I did enjoy performing in the contest, everyone was really nice but all the other contestants were older, so it made me quite nervous as it was a bit intimidating.
Q) Would you, and will you do it again in 2 years time?
A) I might do it next time, it depends on if I have a piece ready and if my parents and my teacher think I’m ready.
Q) What do you think that you gained from it?
A) I think I gained some confidence when I have to play in a competition and how I should handle my nerves in the future. Also, I now know what I should look out for when performing.
Q) How did you prepare for the competition?
A) I practised a lot, but one thing I highly recommend is that you listen to recording of your piece, to see how it’s supposed to be performed and what it sounds like, and when you rehearse it fully make sure to listen back to your performance when you record it and don’t just play through over and over again. Go through the bits you struggle with slowly and practice exercises that help with that certain technique.
Q) Did you face any challenges during your performance, if so how did you overcome them?
A) Yes, I was incredibly nervous which always happens, and I wasn’t really sure how to overcome the nerves, but I tried my best to perform, and if you make a little mistake it doesn’t impact your performance and you have to keep playing on.
Q) What do you hope to achieve musically in the future?
A) Well, I hope to inspire people to get into music and see how enjoyable and wonderful it is, and I also want to be able to play in several quartets and orchestras and see how nice music really is.
Q) What advice would you give to someone doing something similar?
A) I think that if someone is doing something similar, make sure you enjoy it and it’s normal to get nervous but once you’re on stage performing, it feels normal and fun. Make sure you don’t force yourself to do anything.
Rafael De Souza-Plans, Year 9
Congratulations to the following students for passing their recent music exams with Mr Andrew:
- Angela Luong - Grade 4 (Distinction)
- YuXuan Ong - Grade 2 (Distinction)
- Lyla Ly - Grade 3 (Distinction)
We would love to hear from all our students if they have taken graded exams outside of school recently - email goddard_e@bexleygs.co.uk to let me know how you have got on in a recent exam.
Please do follow us on instagram (bexleygsmusic) or on Facebook (search 'Bexley Grammar School Music Department') to keep up to date with latest events and celebrations.
Mrs Goddard, Head of Music
On the 28th February 2023, 5 members of the 2023 BGS Young Enterprise team were fortunate enough to attend the Young Enterprise event in Spitalfields Market in London. Spitalfields Market is a bustling hub of creativity and innovation in the heart of London.
We had been working on our project, with the rest of the team in BGS, for several months. As a group we have formed a company called 'Tug Of Paw' and designed a range of dog toys made from recycled materials. The toys are not only eco-friendly but also fun and interactive, perfect for young and energetic dogs.
Ski Trip 2024
Special Educational Needs Department
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