Beaulieu siblings bring pride again with back-to-back success
Connor and Sienna Liu are at it again. The talented siblings have excelled in the National Victoria K Bennett Music Competition, building on last year’s successes at the Samro Hubert van der Spuy Competition.
Beaulieu Preparatory School sibling musicians, Connor (12) and Sienna (11) Liu, have made their community proud after excelling in the prestigious National Victoria K Bennett (VKB) Music Competition.
The competition, which ran from July 23 to August 30, is one of the most respected platforms for young classical musicians in the country.
Established in 2005 as the Philip Moore Competition, it has grown into an event of international standard, giving talented performers of all ages the opportunity to showcase their skills across a wide range of classical instruments.
Connor, who competed on the piano, impressed judges from the start. He earned a coveted diploma for his opening round performance, a mark reserved for musicians scoring 90% or above.
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His consistency carried him through to the semi-finals, where he secured a place in the top five performers in the country.
Sienna, meanwhile, entered on two instruments, piano and flute, excelling on both. She was awarded diplomas in round one for both entries, taking up two of the five semi-final spots. Her standout flute performance ultimately saw her claim second place overall in the competition.
Now, the siblings are setting their sights on an even bigger stage. Both Connor and Sienna have qualified for the National Hubert van der Spuy Music Competition, one of South Africa’s most prestigious contests for young musicians.
The event will be held at the Endler Hall at the University of Stellenbosch from September 30 to October 5.
This success follows last year’s impressive showing at the South African Human Rights Organisation (Samro) Hubert van der Spuy National Music Competition, held from September 16 to 20 at Stellenbosch University’s Endler Hall.
Back then, Connor and Sienna were among 48 exceptional young musicians selected from across South Africa.
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Despite being some of the youngest participants, they advanced to the semi-finals, gaining valuable experience and prize recognition.
Reflecting on their journey, at the time, Connor said: “We try to have a balance in everything, but sometimes we miss out on play dates and parties because of our commitments. My sister and I are also very active in sport, especially tennis, and compete in Tennis SA tournaments throughout the year.”
Sienna added: “The competitions have taught us the importance of hard work and perseverance. To set goals and achieve what we want from the process. It’s not all about winning, and not everything is always fair, but it’s nice to win.
Everyone, including our teachers, were thrilled when we were selected. We’re proud, not just because of our results, but because we gave our best.”
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