A WESTBURY teenager has made it through to the final of a national music competition.
13-year-old singer Katey Rylands entered the Rotary’s Young Musician competition earlier this year. After impressing judges in the district and regional competitions she will perform in the national final on 4th May in Dartford, Kent.
The competition was open to children aged 17 and under, and so Katey has already got through over older and more experienced singers.
In the final, Katey will perform three pieces. She has chosen to sing Samuel Barber’s ‘The Crucifixion’; ‘Where’er You Walk’ by Handel; and ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ from the musical My Fair Lady.
Katey said, “I didn’t think I’d get this far! There were a lot more experienced people in the regional final, but I’m really, really excited about the national final.
“I’ve chosen contrasting pieces which is what gives it the edge – people like to hear something different. My favourite is ‘I Could Have Danced All Night.’ I get nervous before performing, butterflies in the stomach, but when I get on stage I love it.”
Katey attends St Lawrence School in Bradford-on-Avon, and has also be accepted into the South West Music School’s feeder scheme. Through the scheme she has her own mentor, international operatic tenor James Edwards.
Katey said, “I’d love to be an opera singer, I first started out as musical theatre but tried different genres and I really do love opera. The opera singer I really like is Sarah Connolly.”
Last year Katey was a member of the Diamond Choir, which sang for the Queen at St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the Jubilee.
