College News

Roll on Rio

Travelling to Brazil to experience their world famous carnival scene is a dream for many, however for QE student, Sam Ward-Hardy, this dream will become a reality in November. The budding musician, who has played guitar since the age of eight, has been awarded a £7000 grant by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to travel to Brazil and study the country’s carnivals and religious music. Following in the footsteps of his Mum and Aunty who have also participated in the scheme, Sam will have the opportunity to work with young people and obtain an insight into the country’s culture while pursuing his own passion for Brazilian percussion. Upon returning to the United Kingdom, Sam hopes to progress to university to study Music and is excited to begin his journey: ‘It’s going to be amazing. I’m probably going to need to learn Portuguese but I’m looking forward to sharing what I learn when I come back’.

Laura Emerson Roberts, Lead Arts and Music Worker at Jack Drum Arts, adds: ‘I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this opportunity and the tremendous amount of hard work Sam puts into his personal development is reflected in his growing talent. Well done’.

Tim Fisher, Principal, concludes: ‘We are incredibly proud of Sam for having been awarded this grant from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and believe it will allow him to follow his dreams of studying Brazilian music at an in-depth level. We can’t wait to hear about his adventure and wish him every success for the future’.