Siblings hit the right note
When asked how the Covid-19 pandemic affected them, Jung said they had to do online lessons and complete everything virtually.
DURBAN siblings, Seo Hyun and Jung An, regularly showcase their musical talent on various stages and they recently achieved numerous distinctions in their musical disciplines.
After excelling at the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exams, the duo was invited to perform at Global High Scorers’ Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Concert, and the SASMT Young Performers Concert.
Seo Hyun, a Grade 9 learner at Durban Girls’ College and Jung, a Grade 7 learner at Clifton College, both entered exams in piano and violin and received distinctions for all of their exams.
ALSO READ: Musgrave filmmaker reels in top honour
In her ABRSM piano exam, Seo Hyun passed with a distinction of 89% (Grade 8 level) and a distinction of 96% for violin (Grade 7 level).
“I was surprised and honored to be a part of this concert. I was nervously excited and I feel all the hard work and practice has paid off,” she said.
The youngster, who started playing piano when she was in Grade 1, and violin in Grade 2, said she was inspired by her mother.
“My mother was a pianist. She inspires me to keep playing and also encourages us to have music in our lives. For me, music is an important part of my life because it helps release stress from school work and life in general. Music allows me to have my own space when I am playing and I can express my emotions through music. I also enjoy playing for other people and making them feel happy, or however I am feeling at that moment,” said Seo Hyun.
Seo Hyun added she also drew inspiration from her teacher, Mrs Dana Hadjiev.
“She has been a teacher and a mentor to me since I started playing the piano. She has always encouraged me to play. I have learnt from her that if I practice hard, I can do anything and she always helps me to believe in myself. If I feel like I can’t play something, she will always encourage me to try and support me along the way. I want to be like her and play like her one day,” she said.
ALSO READ: Prestigious art prize awarded to Nigerian artist
Her brother, Jung also performed admirably in his ABRSM piano exam with a distinction of 95% (Grade 6 level). In his ABRSM violin exam, he passed with distinction of 91% (Grade 5 level) and achieved 95% in ABRSM music theory (Grade 5 level).
“I see myself pursuing my music career after matric. I have a passion and love for music, so I think I would like to make it a career,” he said.
His advice for his peers was to explore their talents.
“They should try a variety of things so that they can find their talents which they can then use to help them reach their future goals,” he said.
* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
Do you want to receive news alerts via Telegram? Send us a message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535. You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple
