Yippy Tune students representing the Sultanate at the Asia Pacific Arts Festival (APAF) beamed with pride as they won 24 medals at the competition.
The competition, held on July 6 saw 14 students representing Brunei competed along with 145 participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkiye, Vietnam and the host country, South Korea, in Jeonju.
The Brunei team, comprising students aged seven to 15, participated in a variety of music competitions at the festival, including the piano, violin, bass, drums, ukulele and vocals and won one gold, 12 silver, and 11 bronze medals.
Megan Lee, who performed a perfect three-minute piano piece of Rondo from Sonatina won gold in the competition. “I, along with the other participants, practiced hard for the last three months before the competition,” Lee said.
“I am glad the effort paid off in the end, being able to play well during the performance on the prestigious APAF stage,” said Lee.
“I am grateful for the opportunity and this could not have been possible without the help of my piano teacher, Deon Ong, who put in effort and dedication towards organising the trip,” she added.
“The team was able to impress the judges from South Korea, showcasing Brunei’s very own talents to the rest of the world,” said Ong.
The student delegation also learnt a Korean cultural dance and performed it. They also participated in the gift exchange with participants from different countries during the closing ceremony. – Lyna Mohamad
