December Graduate of the Month

This month’s graduate - the final Graduate of the Month of our 10th Anniversary Year! - is Eva, a bassoonist studying at the Royal College of Music. From Sutton, Eva began her Scholarship in 2012 at the age of nine. She showed enormous potential and commitment on the bassoon and made unbelievably rapid progress during her Scholarship, passing her Grade 3 with distinction after just four terms of playing.

Just a year later, Eva was awarded a scholarship to the Purcell School for Young Musicians, to continue her bassoon studies at secondary school. She also took up jazz piano. Eva achieved an A* for her iGCSE Music in 2018, a distinction for her Grade 8 bassoon exam in 2019, and a Distinction for her Cambridge Pre-U Music qualification last year. Eva was Head Girl in her final year at Purcell. She was also a member of the National Youth Orchestra as a bassoonist and contrabassoonist.

Earlier this year we were delighted to hear that Eva had gained a place at the Royal College of Music, as a Herbert Howells & Thomas Fielden Scholar. She is now in her first term as an undergraduate, studying with Emily Hultmark and Joost Bosdijk. We held our Awards Day for new LMF Scholars at the RCM in October, and it was wonderful to be able to show these young musicians that they too can aspire to reach such high levels of musicianship. Eva is our first LMF Graduate to attend the RCM as an undergraduate.

Eva will be performing as part of our Celebration Ensemble at LMF’s anniversary concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 23 February 2022. This is sure to be a very special occasion, and our largest event to date - we’d love for you to come along!

Eva at her LMF Awards Day in 2012

Eva playing at The Purcell School

We asked Eva a few questions about her musical journey from LMF to RCM:

Tell us about being a London Music Fund (formerly the Mayor's Fund for Young Musicians!) Scholar. What did you get from the experience?

The Scholarship paid for my lessons at Sutton Music Service, and it gave me the confidence to take my studies to a higher level by auditioning for the Purcell School.

Did being a London Music Fund Scholar affect your attitude to learning music? Can you tell us how?

It made me believe that I had a talent that couldn’t be wasted and that I had the potential to be someone who I looked up to.

What impact, if any, has music had on your life? 

A huge impact. It’s been a huge part of my life, and if I didn’t have the opportunities that I did, I wouldn’t have carried on studying music. I can’t imagine my life without it.

What have been the highlights of your musical career so far? We’d love to hear about some of your experiences at Purcell and with NYO!

Playing at the Royal Albert Hall this summer with NYO at the Proms was definitely a highlight. You always imagine yourself playing on the stage when you're watching the Proms happening, and that dream became a reality. It was a really great course and I am thankful that I got that opportunity. Over the summer I got asked if I could dep for a bassoonist at the Chineke! Juniors residency and it happened to be one of the best weeks of my life.

Tell us a bit about your first term at the Royal College of Music. How are you finding it?

My first term has been super busy and jam packed, it's a huge step up from what I'm used to, and I had to get used to doing everything by myself. That being said, it has been so fun and it's just zoomed by in a blink of an eye! I am really enjoying my time here and am learning so much. Emily and Joost are such brilliant teachers that are so full of wisdom, and we've had a bassoon masterclass with Ole Kristian Dahl which was very insightful. I've enjoyed being part of and watching so many concerts!

What advice would you give to current LMF Scholars who are considering a taking their studies to a higher level, or hoping to have a career in music?

Just go for it! Where music is right now is a state of change. After the effects of COVID-19 and the various movements that happened these past couple of years like Black Lives Matter, the music industry is seeing some positive change and is ever evolving, there isn't a better time to join it than right now. I always say you never know until you try, and there are so many things I have applied for or done in the past where I have just thought "hey, let's just see what happens if I just do it" and I have had an amazing time with whatever it is.

You can help us to support the next generation of young musicians like Eva by donating to our Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign. Thank you!