SCHOLARS

Here are just a handful of our scholars and how the Peter Hinkley Trust has helped them, in their own words.

I am 16 and in year 11. I have played the clarinet since January 2016 and tenor saxophone since September 2018. I chose these instruments from being influenced by friends, but also from trying to find a new hobby which could potentially help in the future. The best thing about playing them is that practising pays off and I can play more difficult pieces. The most memorable events I’ve taken part in are the concerts with HYM at St. John Smith Square for the past three years. The reason I love music is because it helps me to relax and take a break from school and homework. I have no plan at all to ever stop playing music and so I believe it definitely figures in my future. I like to play a variety of music and am inspired by my music teacher, Anne. 

I am 14 years old and have played the Double Bass for 
almost two years.  I chose this instrument because it fits into a wide range of musical genres and I love the sound of it, making it an interesting instrument to dedicate myself to. Nothing is "standard" and a lot is down to each player's preference. School concerts are probably what I consider my most memorable performances. Music is a universal language and nothing can communicate in the same way.
My favourite piece of music is Schön Rosmarin by Fritz Kreisler.  Music does figure in my future.
All of my music teachers are an inspiration, as well as double bassist Lauren Pierce.

I am 16 years old and I play the flute, saxophone and trumpet. I started off with flute because it seemed intricate and quite difficult so I wanted to see what it would be like. I started saxophone simply because the head of music needed more saxophonists and I began to play trumpet because I began to fall in love with jazz and the trumpet sounded amazing in everything. The most musical event I’ve taken part in would have to be my first band festival because playing in such a large band showed me how much fun it is to perform and I feel it helped begin my musical journey. I like how music can stress me out, make me fall in love with it and make me feel at ease with everything but to be honest, there’s no simple answer to what I like about music. One of my favourite pieces has to be Remember by Hank Mobley as that’s what brought me to jazz. Yes, I see music as a big part of my future since that’s the career I’d like to pursue.

I'm 13 years old and I've played the oboe for 4 1/2 years. I chose the oboe because I came into my assembly one day and I heard a beautiful oboe solo from extract from Swan Lake. The best thing about playing my instrument is that it's unique and it's a minority instrument which means not a lot of people play on it. The most memorable musical event I was in must be Band Fest because it was my first time playing in a band and it was a step in a different direction. I like a lot of things about music but the thing I love the most is that it's a story and that story can express and reflect different themes and emotions. My favourite piece is Gusty Garden Galaxy which is a song from Super Mario Galaxy. I love this song so much because it's a musical journey that the listener embarks on. Music does figure in my future and what inspires me is that music changes lives and I hear about all these composers (such as Mozart, Beethoven and Bach) and I want to be just like them.