Qden Blaauw South African piano prodigy
When Qden Blaauw was informed that he had received the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study under the Chinese master pianist Lang Lang, he burst into tears of joy. The 12-year-old sixth grader in Cape Town, South Africa had only been playing the piano for four years before he was selected along with nine other children from more than 500 applicants worldwide for a full scholarship to travel to Warsaw, Poland. There he was part of a music camp run by the Lang Lang International Music Foundation and sponsored by the Allianz Music Camp late last year. According to The New York Times, Lang Lang is “the hottest artist on the classical music planet;” his credits include playing at the White House, Sydney Opera House, the Grammy Awards, and the Opening Ceremony of Beijing Olympics. Studying under such a great international pianist, for Blaauw, was a dream come true.
Blaauw’s journey to Poland began by accident in 2012 while he stood in front of a music room waiting to be picked up after school. Intrigued by the sound coming out of the room, he signed up to take music lessons after school. He discovered a profound love for music and began spending hours downloading sheet music online, and teaching himself to navigate through the notes. Blaauw watched countless videos on Youtube, while following notable pianists on social media, causing him to advance rapidly to playing complex pieces by Mozart and Beethoven. His teachers were amazed at his progress since according to the syllabus, they were still teaching him basic scales. Blaauw’s hard work and hours spent at the piano soon began to pay off with several recognitions and awards, with the highest being attending the music camp with Lang on a scholarship.
Blaauw’s achievement is notable because he is the first African to be selected to attend the prestigious music camp since it was started in 2008. It is hoped that his achievement will pave the way for more African children to explore their musical abilities and talents, and be able to make a name globally.