Talented Musicians
The annual Leschinski music competition was recently held at QE and, after intense deliberation, the judges awarded prizes to James Lane and Stephanie Ross.
Ken Smith, Head of Music at QE explains:
"This competition is an annual event which started in 1985 with the prizes being donated by Mr W W Wolf in memory of Olga Leschinski, his piano teacher in Berlin who was a refugee from communist Russia and who was later murdered by the Nazis. There were 15 competitors this year who performed an extensive variety of pieces on a range of instruments from electric guitar to alto sax and flute. The judges found the standard very high and it was extremely difficult to nominate the prize-winners."
James and Stephanie are both second year students at QE and James won first prize for an original piece he played on his guitar ‘DADGAD Rolling Slap’n’Tap’; Stephanie’s singing of Parade’s ‘You Don’t Know This Man’ won her the second prize.
Ken Smith continues:
"James and Stephanie are extremely talented and versatile musicians. James’ first instrument is the guitar but he can play very much anything and Stephanie, as well as being an excellent singer, is a master of the keyboard and piano."
In addition to devoting a lot of time to their music and studying AS Level Music at QE, James and Stephanie have other demanding academic commitments. James’ A Levels are in Philosophy, English Language and Performance whilst Stephanie is studying A level Biology, Chemistry and Maths. Next year James will go to the University of Central Lancashire to study Creative Music Practice whilst Stephanie will enjoy a gap year doing voluntary work linked to music.
March 8, 2010