India De Sousa Shaw said she was completely shocked on Thursday when she found out she was the winner of the Dubbo Eisteddfod Instrumental Scholarship.
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The Daily Liberal $1000 Instrumental Scholarship is awarded to any chosen performer in the instrumental program.
India, who has been playing the violin for nine years, said one of her goals when entering the eisteddfod this year was to win the scholarship.
“I told my dad if I did get it it would go towards a new bow, to help me get a better one. My violin is pretty good but I’ve had this bow for a while and I think it’s getting a bit old,” she said.
The violinist said she hoped the scholarship money, combined with other money she had won for her performances at the eisteddfod, would be enough to get her a new bow.
India said she started playing the violin simply because her dad told her she had to pick an instrument. Her brother chose the piano and India said she decided to play the violin.
“One of my favourite aspects is playing in groups. There’s a chamber music group at the [Macquarie] Conservatorium and I’ve got a lots of friends in that, that’s really fun. You get to make new friends and play music together so you’re all doing something you like together,” she said.
The teenager said she spends about an hour a day practicing but spent more time rehearsing in the lead up to the eisteddfod.
It was too hard to pick her favourite performance piece, she said.
“I liked them all. They were all pretty different. Some of them were harder and some were easier but they all had parts that made me really love them and love to play them,” India said.
However, while she loved playing them, it didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous.
“Always for the first performance I’m super nervous. I’m shaking, my throat is like sandpaper, but it’s really fun. When I play it well without many mistakes I feel like my practice has lead to something,” India said.
“But all the solos are on the same day so by the last one I’m too tired to get nervous.”
The Piano Solo Junior Champion Alexis Pfeiffer said she also got nervous at the beginning but relaxed the more she played.
Alexis said six years ago she decided she wanted to play the piano.
“I came home from school and asked my mum and she said to ask again later. Six weeks later I asked again and she said yes,” Alexis said.
Playing was a great way to express yourself, she said. And unlike the violin, which she also played, you didn’t always have to tune it.
The Piano Senior Championship and the Piano Solo Open Championship were awarded to Emma Newby.