Two Beaulieu Preparatory School siblings have returned from a month-long national music competition with second-place finishes in their respective age categories. Connor Liu, who plays the piano, and his sister Sienna Liu, who plays the flute, recently competed in the Victoria K Bennett Music Competition, going up against young classical musicians from across the country.

The competition consisted of three rounds, putting the young musicians through a demanding programme that required them to stay focused and keep practising throughout the school holidays.

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For Connor, one of the hardest parts was maintaining that discipline for more than a month. “It was hard, at times, to stay disciplined and persevere with practising every day, especially as we were on school holiday.”

Before performing, Connor has a routine that helps him settle his nerves. He usually runs through his programme an hour or two before going on stage, before trying to relax. If a practice room is available, he also does a quick warm-up.

His second-place finish brought a special moment when the result was announced. Connor was sitting on stage alongside the other finalist when they heard the result. Rather than letting the competition get in the way, the two congratulated each other.

“We often see each other at competitions throughout the years and have become good friends.” Sienna also finished second in her age category and said one of the highlights of the competition was seeing familiar faces among the young musicians.

“It’s nice to see and catch up with other competitors we’ve gotten to know throughout the years,” she said. For her, the semi-final performance stood out.

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Sienna said she was particularly proud of how she handled a challenging piece by a South African composer, having spent months working on certain sections. “I think that was one of my best performances in the competition,” she said.

Both siblings have little time to rest on their achievements, however, with another major competition coming up later this month. They are preparing for the National Hubert van der Spuy Music Competition, which will take place in Stellenbosch from September 22 to 26.

Sienna has a simple goal for the next competition. “I hope Connor and I make it into the finals.” The Victoria K Bennett Music Competition is open to soloists aged eight to 25, giving young classical musicians an opportunity to perform alongside competitors from around the country.

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