In June 2023, I participated in my first competition, the 'Spotlight Concours', in Amsterdam. This competition is part of the annual 'Klassiek Op Het Amstelveld' festival, which provides a stage for young musicians in The Netherlands and features performances by globally acclaimed artists, soloists and orchestras. When I received the news that I had won in the violin category, it meant that in September 2023, I would have the honour of performing as a soloist with the world-renowned Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra. This represented my most significant accomplishment to date, and I was eagerly looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Following this, during the summer holidays, I unexpectedly received an invitation from a popular Dutch music television programme, 'Podium Klassiek', to be featured as a 'Jonge Held' (Young Hero), which was definitely a big surprise! I had some familiarity with the programme, having watched numerous YouTube clips featuring interviews and performances by some of the world's finest musicians. These artists include violinists like Ivry Gitlis, Maxim Vengerov, Ray Chen, Leonidas Kavakos, and Bomsori Kim, among others. This meant that a few days before my performance with the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, I was going to be interviewed and perform on live Dutch television in front of thousands of people.
In addition to the TV show invitation, I was astounded to receive a call a few weeks later inviting me to open the new season of Lunchtime concerts at the prestigious Concertgebouw as a winner of the 'Spotlight Concours'. The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam offers these Lunchtime concerts every Wednesday, free for the public. Growing up, it was my dream for many years to experience the beautiful Concertgebouw in person, and after my first visit to the hall, watching Janine Jansen perform in the first month of my studies in The Netherlands, I would have never expected that just two years later, I would be giving my first ever public recital in the same esteemed building! Looking back, this was definitely one of the most eventful yet rewarding weeks of my life, with each event occurring within three days of one another. I gained invaluable insight from each individual performance and will undoubtedly cherish these experiences for the rest of my life.