Teen fine-tunes his keys to success
SAMIR Dookie, a 17-year-old pianist from Effingham Heights, recently performed with the Pretoria Symphony Orchestra at the Youth Concerto in Pretoria.
The Michaelhouse Grade 12 pupil was chosen to perform with the orchestra, placing first out of nine soloists.
Having achieved this recognition, Samir had been invited to perform a concerto (composition) of his choice with the orchestra as part of their annual programme for 2024, a rare feat for his age.
He said the opportunity to play with the orchestra was found by his music teacher, Dr Carika de Swart.
“She saw a post on Facebook from the Pretoria Symphony Orchestra calling for applications to their Youth Concerto festival. I jumped at the opportunity, and my teacher and I spent countless hours preparing to audition in November. To my sheer delight, I was selected a few days later as the only soloist from KZN,” he said.
Samir said the experience with the Pretoria Symphony Orchestra was the highlight of his music career thus far and described it as surreal.
“I have been so grateful for the opportunity to perform with and stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the best and most talented classical musicians in the country. It has been an honour and a privilege to work with everyone involved in the orchestra.
“Performing a concerto and performing with an orchestra has been a dream very close to my heart for a very long time. I am still recovering from the high and am so grateful for this opportunity.”
He said coming from a musical family exposed him to different genres of music and instruments, which sparked his interest in music.
“My parents play the piano, and my sisters play the guitar and drums. Before I could walk, I would sit on my dad’s lap while he played, and I fiddled with the keys. My mom is also a music teacher, and my maternal grandfather played the harmonium and xylophone in a band.”
Samir said he began playing the piano when he was in primary school.
“Since then, I have received KZN and SA colours for performing arts. Winning gold medals in competitions like Talent Africa and Talent America also played a part in granting me a scholarship at Michaelhouse, where I was awarded full colours and later honours.”
He said he hoped to become a concert pianist and an orchestral conductor, exploring different styles of music and instruments in different parts of the world. He said the most important characteristics of a budding musician were dedication and consistency.
“There are moments where I often feel too tired and do not feel like practising. However, in those moments, perseverance is key. Consistency is also of the utmost importance as a lack thereof can hinder your progress and skills.”
He said the support of his parents had been a vital part of his journey.
“My parents have always encouraged and supported me in the pursuit of my dreams. I am so appreciative and grateful for the instrumental role they have played in making me who I am and affording me so many wonderful opportunities.”
Samir also enjoys playing sports and has been playing cricket, hockey and golf from a young age.
“I enjoy reading, gardening, video games and puzzles. I love solving Rubik's Cubes and board games with my family. I also enjoy going fishing with my dad.”