AN EXCEPTIONAL young pianist is celebrating after gaining a top music diploma at the age of just 14.
Solihull School pupil Ziying He has been awarded a diploma on the piano by the prestigious Trinity College of Music in London.
The LTCL diploma is the equivalent of an honours university degree for Ziying who is still a year away from sitting her GCSE exams.
Ziying says the key to her success is dedicated practise.
She said: “I started playing the piano when I was three and I try to practise for up to two hours a day.
“I also play in the chamber music group at school and enjoy practising duets with other pianists at school.
“For the exam, I had to deliver a 42-minute performance which was made up of ten different pieces of music.
“It was a real challenge, so I was delighted when I heard I’d succeeded in gaining the diploma.”
Now, the talented teenager has set her sights on the ultimate achievement, the FTCL diploma, which equates to a Masters degree, but not until she has completed her GCSEs.
Solihull School’s director of music Tim Kermode was delighted for Ziying.
“This is a wonderful achievement by Ziying and a fitting reward for her dedication and talent.
“The LTCL diploma is normally a challenge for students at university so for her to achieve it as a 14 year old is remarkable.”
Ziying also plays the flute and the erhu, a Chinese two-stringed instrument, and has already amassed an impressive list of accomplishments in recent years, including orchestral pianist for the CBSO Youth Orchestra and being crowned Bromsgrove’s young musician of the year for ages nine to 13 in 2017.
Ziying achieved her first diploma on piano (ATCL) in 2016, aged 11.
