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Here are some of our 2020-21 Music Centre Award holders and Scholars. Click on the links below, to find out more about the students and learn how they have benefited from their awards and scholarships.
Further information about the UEA Music Centre Awards can be found on our Music Centre Award page.
Further information about the UEA Music Scholarships can be found on our Music Scholarship page.
2020-21 Music Centre Award holders:
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Charles Bernardin (LDC) - Composer
My interest in music production derives from, ironically enough, quite a philosophical part of me… in all of the producing work I do my goal is always to get the absolute best out of the musician I’m working with (including myself), because I believe art comes from a part of us that needs to be treated with great respect, especially in the studio, where there is opportunity to take real time over it!
My other work in the musical on-goings at UEA is as one of the committee members of Live Music Society, in which my role as ‘tech wizard’ keeps me sharp in my skills as live sound manager, and I occasionally enjoy contributing with my own performance.
I’m very proud to have obtained this award and the financial and administrative support from the Music Centre – with it I hope to help keep facilitating more and more wonderful musical opportunities!
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Jessica Honey (LDC) - Voice (Soprano)
I'm Jess, and I'm studying English Literature at UEA. I've been a Music Centre Award holder since my 1st year and it has been fantastic, as it has supported me in developing my musicianship throughout university. I particularly love singing in Chamber Choir and my a capella group Concordia. In my role as President of Music Society, I also have an experience of student leadership, and I love being in Music Society ensembles.
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Lexine Lee (LDC) - Voice (Soprano)
Read moreI'm Lexine and I’m studying Drama and English. Since starting choir at school in 2007, I have found an enjoyment for singing and music-making as part of a friendly community. As well as going on to achieve Grade 8 Singing, to expand my solo repertoire, I was also a member of the Royal Hospital School Chapel Choir, performing on occasions such as The St. Paul’s Cathedral Seafarer’s Service, The Royal Navy’s Admiralty Carol Service at St. Martin-In-The-Fields, the Opening Ceremony of the Invictus Games, and a Choir Tour to Malta. In addition, I have also had the honour of being a soloist in the school’s Choirs Concert, Carol Concert, and regular Chapel services.
I also have a strong musical theatre background – performing in a professional production of Annie; in British Youth Music Theatre’s The Dickens Girls; as Sandy in a school production of Grease; as well as training with the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Guildford School of Acting, and the National Theatre. I recently directed UEA Drama Society’s musical Into the Woods.
Apart from singing, I am a keen trombone player – reaching Grade 4 during my last year at school, where I played with Marching Band, Concert Band, Brass Band, and Big Band. I am very excited to be a part of the music community at UEA!
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Afonso Froes (BIO) - Bass
My name is Afonso, but everyone in Norwich calls me Fons, and though I dabble on many instruments, my usual music partners are sensible enough to only give me bass gigs. I’m currently in my 2nd year of my PhD in Biological Spectroscopy, and, though it’s tricky sometimes given the workload, I try my very best to be as present in the Norwich music scene as I’ve always tried to be, as well as in the UEA music life. During my many years at UEA, I’ve lead both the UEA Music Society Jazz Collective and Big Band, I’ve done a fair amount of writing for one of my favourite yearly shows, the Minotaur Theatre Company Cabaret, and I’m currently working on a new Big Band project with the Music Centre’s support. Outside UEA, I used to be a regular NJC Jazz Jam attendee before these sad COVID days, and I also hosted a few jazz and not-jazz jam sessions around the city, one of them being Cactus Jam, which was a very big staple in the local scene. In my opinion, my biggest music achievement was my residency at Bermuda Bob’s Tiki Sessions in 2019, where we somehow managed to regularly get a full room of young people willing to listen to us make songs up on the spot for 3 hours every week. This lasted for at least 3 months. Then these beautiful interactive crowds mysteriously disappeared.
Recently, other than my totally serious angry jazz trio lead by the totally serious Thomas Howe, Hypertree, I don’t really have a lot of projects, but am often asked to track bass for many local artists.
As a Music Centre Award holder, I hope that my fellow UEA musicians see me as an approachable friendly face that will always be happy to share my experience in the less academic and competitive, more expressive and entertaining sides of music performance.
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Lucy Nichols (MTH) - Voice (Soprano)
Hi, I'm Lucy! I'm currently in my final year of a BSc in Mathematics, and I've been performing on stage and singing since the age of 7. Throughout secondary school I performed in many of the school shows, including playing Young Cosette in Les Misérables, and Kim in Miss Saigon. I hold a grade 8 distinction in soprano voice with ABRSM. Since joining UEA in 2017, I’ve enjoyed being part of both UEA Choir and UEA Chamber Choir, as well as huge involvement with the UEA Music Society, where I have led the choir for two years, spent a year as social secretary, and this year, held the role of President. In my time here I have also taken up saxophone in Big Band and Concert Band, buying the instrument with scholarship money and self-teaching. This year, I used my award money to buy a violin as a lockdown learning project, although it's not exactly the easiest instrument to teach myself! I am very thankful not only for the financial support, but also for the amazing staff of the Music Centre, who are always there for a friendly chat or to support me in any way they can.
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Polly Maltby (LDC) - Piano
Hi, my name is Polly! I am currently in my first year at UEA studying Drama. I have been doing music from a young age when I started having piano lessons when I was in primary school. Since then, I have got my grade 8 distinction in both flute and singing, still keeping up with my piano and teaching myself to play the guitar too.
I was a choral scholar at Lancing College Chapel Choir singing a wide range of choral repertoire, even performing at places such as St Pauls Cathedral and Hampton court. I have joined the UEA choir, concert band and flute group so far but I am looking forward to the time when in person rehearsals can start again
I am a big theatre fan too; I have been attending youth theatre sessions at Chichester Festival Theatre since I was 10. I was even fortunate enough to be in some of the CFYT productions including being in the world premiere of Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild, Rufus Norris’ version of Sleeping Beauty and in December 2019 we performed The Wizard of Oz, in which I played Dorothy. Currently I am experiencing rehearsal for UEA’s drama and musical theatre society’s production of Spring Awakening where I will be playing Wendla Bergmann.
I feel incredibly privileged to be one of UEA’s music award holders!
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Toby Scowcroft-Tay (MED) - Piano/Viola
I'm Toby and I study Medicine at UEA. I started learning piano when I was 4 and violin when I was 5, passing Grade 8 with distinction on both instruments in 2017. I went on to gain a piano performance diploma in 2018. I enjoy playing as part of an orchestra, and particularly like playing in trios and quartets. Apart from performing, I also compose and arrange music. COVID has, unfortunately, restricted the opportunities for music making in 2020/21. I am very much looking forward to contributing to UEA's music scene when rules are relaxed.
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Wanxian (Yannis) Xu - Zither
I’m Yannis. I have been playing Chinese Zither (Guzheng) for 10 years and remain undiminished enthusiasm. Zither is a traditional plucked instrument with melodious timbre, I came to the UK with a great desire to spread the beauty of this instrument. I achieved my Grade 10 with a distinction, I performed a lot commercially. I also play Chinese lyre (Guqin) and piano. As I notice, there are pianos all around in England either on the street or in a mall where performers are welcomed to play, I am deeply moved by this free expression of music- to have your playing be heard and your efforts be recognized. I will keep going with Zither and try to play in ensembles with other instruments, hopefully getting it heard more widely.
2020-21 Music Scholars:
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Alfie Dwyer (MED) - French Horn
My name is Alfie and I’m a student paramedic at UEA. I have played the French Horn for 7-8 years now and have achieved grade 8. I was working towards a diploma but unfortunately, a fairly unknown recent worldwide pandemic has halted my progress towards that for the moment. While I do like playing solo music, I very much enjoy playing in ensembles. My favourite groups to play in have to be wind bands, symphony orchestras and, very rarely, horn ensembles. I like to think of music as a hobby more than something I would like to study. That way I can keep it as a leisure activity instead of a chore. By doing this, I find myself less stressed as I usually play for enjoyment, which I find is important while completing a high-intensity course. I’m looking forward to more opportunities to play music at UEA, hopefully, in the near future.
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Elliott Smith (MED) - Drums
I’m Elliott. I’ve been playing Drums since I was 5, and since then my love for music has grown and I have since self-taught Bass, Guitar, Singing and a little bit of piano. With this, I’ve been making full covers of songs, and plan to start writing my own music. My music taste is eclectic and non-specific; I am a big fan of anything from Psych Rock, to some old school funk, to Chick Corea’s blistering jazz fusion lines, I just love making and listening to music! I’m currently studying medicine (First Year), so I’m looking forward to opportunities to listen to and collaborate with others during my years here!
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Rosie Hastings (LDC) - Voice (Soprano)
Hello, my name is Rosie and I study Drama and Creative Writing! I have always had a passion for music and have tried to be as actively involved in all aspects of it throughout my life. Although I focus mainly on singing, I have also learnt many instruments across the years which include Clarinet, Violin, Guitar and Piano. I love to combine my passion for both Music and Drama. I have taken part in many musicals and have also used my musical skills in other ways including being the Vocal and Movement Director for a staged Charity Concert last year and writing and performing my own music!
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Sophie Hopkins (DEV) - Voice (Soprano)
Sophie Hopkins is a 19-year-old music scholar from Canterbury. She loves big choral works like the Mozart requiem or Bach's saint Matthew passion, but her favourite must be Handle's Messiah. This photo was taken when she performed the soprano solo for that work. She also loves jazz music and opera and really cannot wait for live music to be everywhere again!