Young Musician winners visit Juilliard
(L-R) Daniela Granados and Marcos Bertran, winners of the 2016 and 2017 Young Musician of the Year, respectively, outside Juilliard
(CNS): As part of their prizes, the winners of Butterfield’s Young Musician of the Year competition for 2016 and 2017 were treated to a trip to New York City to visit The Juilliard School, accompanied by their mothers. Marcos Bertran, this year’s winner, plays the alto saxophone and Daniela Granados, the 2016 winner, plays the flute.
“We are thrilled to have been able to organise this eye-opening experience for these two talented young people and hope that this prize helps to inspire our up-and-coming young musicians,” said Michael McWatt, Butterfield’s managing director, in a press release from the bank. “We hope to continue to develop our association with Juilliard and we thank them for their hospitality.”
Having forged a relationship with Juilliard via the Cayman Arts Festival, the bank was able to organise a special tour and a one-on-one lesson for each of the young musicians.
“I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to visit Juilliard and have a lesson with a great musician,” said Granados. “I definitely felt inspired in such a supportive environment to always continue improving as a musician, and to never stop playing regardless of where life takes me.”
Bertran said of his experience: “My lesson with a Juilliard alumnus who specialised in jazz saxophone, Jordan Pettay, was amazing. I was able to play for her and get feedback from a professional musician in my area of music. She gave me tips, adjustments and useful advice for my music skills.”
The 2018 Butterfield Young Musician of the Year competition will take place in April next year. Finalists are chosen from the annual National Children’s Festival of the Arts programme.
