TWO talented sisters each won a trophy at the national junior championships of the 2024 TT Music Festival at Queen's Hall, St Ann's.

Newsday learnt Tasmin-Jade King and Zahra-Lys King have been able to successfully juggle their musical passion and their school studies.

Sixth-former Tasmin-Jade, a violinist, told Newsday, "I just really enjoyed performing, so I was glad to be able to come back out to the championships to perform.

"I was a bit nervous so I was kind of shaky. But I am glad it went well." She played Capriccio Op 18 by Cecile Chaminade on March 15.

Newsday asked about adjudicator Dr Robert Tang Yuk's remarks that it was challenging to play a violin, because the right/bow-hand also had to play actively, in league with the left/string hand. Tasmin-Jade replied, "It is quite difficult, especially with the bow technique, to do multiple notes in one bow and separate them. Yes, it is a lot of practise going in."

She won the under-19 TTMA String Solo Trophy, edging Krystianna Scotland who played The Swan By Camille Saint-Saens. Tasmin-Jade was also awarded the Esbert Aguilera Trophy for the most promising junior string soloist.

She was also runner-up in the recital class in the open (adult) championships for her piano performance of works by Chopin, Beethoven and Chen Pexium.

Fifth former Zahra-Lys King won the Anastacia Radford Trophy for best under-15 string solo, as sole person qualifying to that class, on the violin.

She told Newsday, "Today I did violin and piano. And on Monday (March 11) I did voice, so that was good.

"For piano, I really liked that piece (Fountain In The Rain by William Gillock)."

This under-15 piano solo class was won by Tobago's Aaron Wheeler taking the Dr Charles Brunner Trophy, with Zahra-Lys as the runner-up.

"I think it is very dynamic and I think it has a lot of elements to it and this makes it a really beautiful piece.

"I did not win that trophy but I really liked hearing the expressions of other players, how different people interpreted the piece.

"For the violin, the piece is quite challenging. It has a lot of fast passages, especially when your fingers are cold, it could be a bit difficult.

[caption id="attachment_1072712" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Tasmin-Jade King playing Capriccio at Music Festival at the Queen's Hall. - Photo by Jordan Briggs[/caption]

"The piece I played for the violin was the first movement of Spring from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi. I got that trophy, so I am very happy about that. I am really glad I had this experience at Music Festival." Zahra-Lys won the James B Sinanan Trophy for the under-15 musical theatre vocal solo singing, On my Own from Les Miserables by Claude Michel-Schonberg and Alain Boublil.

She has learnt violin with Simone Browne and piano with Eunmi Choi. She is a form five pupil at Northgate College.

Newsday asked if she had mock exams for the May/June CSEC exams.

"Yes, I do. I had to reschedule. It was very tricky to manage."

The girls' mother, Joanna Woodroffe-King said, "I am very proud