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Bahrain-based Brent Cataneo Amado continues to hit the right notes in international competitions as his talent for tickling the ivories wins him more accolades as well as applause.
The seven-year-old Sacred Heart School student recently received the Special Characteristic Performance Award and a bronze in the London Young Musician online classical music competition in the age eight and under category.
He played six minutes of a classical mix of music, including pieces from Beethoven, competing against hundreds of young prodigies from around the world.
“I’m so elated and astonished to win two awards in this contest as it is one of the well-known musical competitions in the UK,” said the tiny Filipino maestro who has been bagging trophies and certificates since his piano-playing journey started during the pandemic.
According to his parents Brian, who works in sales at a luxury retail outlet, and mum, Aileen, Brent tried his hand at piano last year and with practice, patience and dedication started collecting accolades and certificates after taking part in an array of competitions.
As reported in the GDN in April, Brent had secured a bronze medal in the online European Classical Music (ECM) Awards where he competed in the A1 piano category for musicians aged six to seven. He rehearsed regularly two-hours-a-day and increased the practice time to six hours shortly before the global contest.
The pint-sized pianist is taught and guided by his mum and Lea Nas, a private piano teacher.
Bright Brent was also the youngest participant to win first place in the 2022 Sacred Heart School Bahrain Piano Competition in Junior 2 and 3 Division, which was held back in May.
“We are so proud of him,” said his mum. “He continues to shine and truly loves the piano. He was also invited to join a well-known and prestigious international musical competition in Singapore but he is not available, as he would need to set aside a date for the finals. Now he is practising to take part in an American musical competition.
“Brent hopes to continue competing and inspire other children to try something new, just like he did.”
