By the end of Saturday night, one of six musicians will be crowned the PwC Jersey Young Musician of the Year.
The six competing for the 2015 title are Katharine Beirne (woodwind), Todd Buesnel (brass), Bryony O’Hare (piano), Samuel Walwyn (string) and two of last year’s finalists, Nicole Taylor (percussion) and Rachel Hayden (vocal).
They all beat off competition from some of the best of the Island’s young musicians to win their respective heats.
We spoke to the six finalists ahead of Saturday’s competition:
Bryony OHare
PIANIST Bryony O’Hare (17) is a student at Hautlieu and lives in Trinity. She started to learn the piano when she was eight and has reached Grade 7.
Why did you start playing?
I began playing the piano at a young age as my dad came from a musical family and wanted me and my sisters to carry on that tradition. So initially it wasn’t my decision to start but now I am very grateful to my parents for encouraging me to carry on and now it is my own decision to continue to play and I hope to do so for a long time.
What do you get out of music?
Music is something I turn to when I want to relax or have fun as good music is guaranteed to lift my mood instantly. It is a great way to bring people together so music has brought me closer to family members who also love music and has been the starting point of several friendships.
What goes through your head when you play in front of people?
I try to forget that there’s anyone watching me while I play. I concentrate on what I have learnt and practised but not just the notes but what the composer is trying to convey through their music and I try to remember to show that through my playing. It is not all about accuracy but more about the musicality of the performance.
Do you have any tips or tricks to stop you getting nervous on stage?
I try to stay as calm as possible and not to overthink before performing as that tends to make me more nervous. I just like to focus on what I have rehearsed and make sure I have fun.
What’s your favourite music group?
I don’t really have a favourite band as my music taste tends to change quite regularly, however, at the moment I enjoy listening to AlunaGeorge who are an English music duo and MØ, a Danish solo artist. I like these artists because their music is very interesting and both vocalists have unique voices.
Do you have a musical guilty pleasure?
I love the music from shows and films such as Wicked and Les Misérables, the music is fantastic and is a lot of fun to sing along to.
Do you hope to make a career out of music?
I am currently undecided about what I would like to do after I leave school but I know that music will always be a big part of my life and I will continue to play piano for a long time. If music was part of my career I know that would make me very happy.
Do you have any advice for other young musicians who want to get into the final next year?
Be committed and put enough work into your practice so that you feel prepared on the day of the heat. As long as you try your best that’s the most anyone could ask for.
Katharine Beirne
FLAUTIST Katharine Beirne (13) is a former Beaulieu Convent School student who now attends St Mary’s School, Ascot, Berkshire, after being awarded a scholarship, and she lives in Grouville. She has reached Grade 8 on the flute, which she started to learn four years ago.
Why did you start playing?
I started playing the piano as my first musical instrument five years ago and then as I started to mix in the musical community I realised that I also wanted to have a try at playing a woodwind instrument. I enjoyed playing the recorder at school so the flute seemed an obvious choice to me.
What do you get out of music?
I enjoy the challenge of mastering difficult pieces. As I have progressed in my playing, the music has become more complex. I have learnt that only hard practice can make my playing secure and accurate. At times I get frustrated but I have learnt to keep on trying and to never give up.
What goes through your head when you play in front of people?
I want the audience to enjoy the music that I am playing. Of course I get nervous, but I find that a few healthy butterflies in the tummy make my performance even better.
Do you have any tips or tricks to stop you getting nervous on stage?
My flute teacher has always drilled into me that it’s all about connecting with the audience and bringing the music to life so that they understand what the music is trying to convey. If you focus on that you will find that you don’t get too nervous. She also taught me that bowing at the end is such an important part of the performance to bring it to a close. So many times people don’t bow properly, so remember bow from the waist, count ‘1,2,3, Hippopotamus’ and then come back up again!
What’s your favourite music group?
One Direction. I really like their songs and it’s nice and relaxing for me to listen to their music as a contrast to playing classical music.
Do you have a musical guilty pleasure?
It has to be One Direction! I was lucky enough to see them live last year at Wembley Stadium with a friend and they were fantastic.
Do you hope to make a career out of music?
It’s still early in my career for me to make a decision although I will certainly be studying music as an option in Year 10 to GCSE.
Do you have any advice for other young musicians who want to get into the final next year?
Practise hard, don’t give up when you’re faced with tricky passages of music and make sure that you believe in yourself and your playing.
Samuel Walwyn
ACOUSTIC guitarist Samuel Walwyn (17) is a student at Hautlieu and lives in St Ouen. He is currently preparing for Grade 8 and started to learn the guitar five years ago.
Why did you start playing?
Since I was young, I have always connected with the image and the sound of the guitar. I remember following my dad into a guitar store in the US where he bought his first Strat. Many years later, he taught me Smoke on the Water on that same guitar on one string and I was hooked.
What do you get out of music?
A room full of guitars, sheets of music scattered around the house, an empty wallet, a running tab at East Coast Guitars and, of course, the satisfaction of being able to create music.
What goes through your head when you play in front of people?
Even if the audience is one person or many, there is the thrill of affecting others by playing.
Do you have any tips or tricks to stop you getting nervous on stage?
I make sure that I warm up before and at the venue. I know my set and I need to be well rehearsed.
What’s your favourite music group?
I’m currently listening to Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, John Butler Trio and Tool.
Do you have a musical guilty pleasure?
Jamming with my best mate at loud volume for hours on end.
Do you hope to make a career out of music?
Yes, because it’s what I find most fulfilling. I would be happy to wake up every day knowing that I can spend the day involved in music.
Do you have any advice for other young musicians who want to get into the final next year?
Practise, practise, practise. Set yourself manageable goals. Play with passion.
Todd Buesnel
TRUMPET player Todd Buesnel (15) is a student at Victoria College and lives in St Saviour. He started playing eight years ago and has reached Grade 7.
Why did you start playing?
I started playing the trumpet after a demonstration by the Music Service at my primary school. Unfortunately the Music Service would not give me lessons, this did not put me off and I started having lessons through the Jersey Academy of Music instead. I still don’t know really know why the instrument appealed to me, but I’m glad I took the decision to learn it.
What do you get out of music?
I like the sense of achievement from learning new things and improving what I can do. When playing as a member of a group, the sense of several individuals making music on paper ‘come to life’ is something I really enjoy.
What goes through your head when you play in front of people?
I never feel particularly nervous when I am about to play in front of people, as I know (or at least hope) that nobody wants me to play badly. This allows me to perform to my best ability, which is all I want to do when I do perform.
Do you have any tips or tricks to stop you getting nervous on stage?
Practise. If I have practised enough then I should feel confident that whatever I do is my best. There’s no point in thinking about what could go wrong. If I don’t feel confident about what I am about to perform I just hope for the best.
What’s your favourite music group?
I like Coldplay as their music encompasses so many different styles and is not samey as many artists are. Generally I like artists that are a bit different to others in the charts, like George Ezra’s music’s folk sound.
Do you have a musical guilty pleasure?
I don’t really have guilty pleasures when it comes to musicians, maybe listening to older artists could be considered something I should be guilty of, I don’t think it is!
Do you hope to make a career out of music?
Music wouldn’t be my first choice of career, however, I would definitely enjoy being able to play my instrument as a
career.
Do you have any advice for other young musicians who want to get into the final next year?
Nothing beats hard work and practice, putting time in really pays off.
Rachel Hayden
VOCALIST Rachel Hayden (17) is a student at Jersey College for Girls and lives in Trinity. She has been taking singing lessons since the age of six and has attained Grade 8 with distinction.
Why did you start playing?
My mum took me to singing lessons when I was six as apparently I couldn’t stop singing around the house. I have been a pupil of Imogen Nicholls, who’s an inspirational teacher, ever since.
What do you get out of music?
As well as singing, I also play the flute and piano and not only enjoy performing as a soloist but as part of a choir or orchestra. Through music I have made many friends and travelled to some great places. There is also a great sense of achievement getting a new piece up to a performing standard.
What goes through your head when you play in front of people?
It’s not only about trying to remember the words and singing the right notes but also about ensuring you communicate the meaning of the piece to the audience and enjoy it.
Do you have any tips or tricks to stop you getting nervous on stage?
Although I have been singing for quite a while I still get nervous walking onto the stage. However, as soon as I hear the piano introduction and start to sing, the nerves seem to fade away and I just enjoy the piece I’m singing.
What’s your favourite music group?
I enjoy listening to lots of different types of music but my favourite would be live opera buffa or acapella groups like the Pentatonix.
Do you have a musical guilty pleasure?
I can’t think of anything musically that I feel guilty about.
Do you hope to make a career out of music?
Due to my passion for both music and engineering, I would love to become the first opera-singing civil engineer!
Do you have any advice for other young musicians who want to get into the final next year?
Pick pieces you enjoy playing or singing, try your best to practise hard and get them to a performing standard and just have a go. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Nicole Taylor
PERCUSSIONIST Nicole Taylor (19) attended Jersey College for Girls and lives in St Clement. She started to learn percussion when she was nine and has reached Grade 8.
Why did you start playing?
I started playing percussion all thanks to my primary school music teacher. She recommended I started to learn another instrument, as she could see how much I thrived off music and performing.
What do you get out of music?
I get a sense of enjoyment, whether it be from performing, practising, or even just listening to my iPod. I find music relaxing but thrilling at the same time.
What goes through your head when you play in front of people?
I’ve never really thought about it before. I get so lost in the music I never really pay attention to my surroundings.
Do you have any tips or tricks to stop you getting nervous on stage?
I don’t get hugely nervous, as I’ve been performing on stage from a very young age. That being said, I use the small amount of nerves I do get, and I turn it all into adrenaline and channel it into my performance, which makes the performance even more exciting.
What’s your favourite music group?
My taste in music is so broad, I couldn’t possibly pick a favourite group or artist. I listen to a lot of different things, but I mainly like musical theatre, anything Disney and pop. I like the fact that I listen to a wide variety of music because I feel that it makes me a more well-rounded musician.
Do you have a musical guilty pleasure?
I actually really like Celtic music. It’s really eerie because of the different sounds they can make with the instruments, especially as you don’t tend to hear it in mainstream music. I also love the fact that there are so many different constant time signature changes, so it really captures your attention. I’m also a bit of a closet Taylor Swift fan. Her tunes are so catchy I can’t help but sing along to them.
Do you hope to make a career out of music?
I hope to go to university to study music in September, so I don’t want anything more than to make music my career. I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else but on stage.
Do you have any advice for other young musicians who want to get into the final next year?
Just be yourself. Every musician has a unique quality about them, and that’s what makes them amazing. Don’t think ‘Oh, I want to be just like so-and-so because of their style of playing’, and then try to copy their style. That’s not what music is about. It’s about expressing yourself, and showing everyone else who you are.
