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Features
 
Talent in the Family?
Young Musician of the Year, Jennifer Pike, and her composer father, Jeremy Pike, talk music.
When I play I have that feeling inside me, a huge sense of enjoyment and I love that sweet clear sound.
Jennifer Pike, Young Musician of the Year

Violinist Jennifer Pike, 12, Young Musician of the Year, 2002, is the youngest ever to win the title. Her father is Dr Jeremy Pike, composer and Head of Composition at Chethams School of Music in Manchester, where Jennifer is a pupil.

She's always had an interest in music and movement. Dance is really important in music and she's enthusiastic about singing as well.
Dr Jeremy Pike

Jennifer:
"We watched BBC Young Musician of the Year when Natalie Clein won on the cello and my sister said, 'I'd love to play something.' So she played the violin and I thought, 'I'm not going to be left out.' I was about five.

"Jascha Heifetz is my favorite violinist and I've got millions of his CDs. It's great to have someone who inspires you.
When I was little, I remember hearing If I Were a Rich Man from Fiddler on the Roof, and lots of Elgar as well.

"I think I still would have wanted to play without my parents being musical. When I play I have that feeling inside me, a huge sense of enjoyment and I love that sweet clear sound.

"There have been a few times when I've thought, 'I wonder why I can't do this passage,' but I really like challenges and experimenting with the music.

"For fun I like all sorts of other music, like Gareth Gates. Me and my friends think he's so gorgeous. Robbie Williams too.

"My friends have been really nice. When I got back after winning they were all waiting in the rain for me. If you've got good friends then that's everything."

Dr Pike:
"She's always had an interest in music and movement. Dance is really important in music and she's enthusiastic about singing as well.

"She was good on the glockenspiel and all that sort of thing before she got to the Violin just before age five.

"Listening was another thing. She was totally quiet and listened really intently when we took her to concerts.

"You've got to have a good ear, a good technical ability and on top of that, you've got to have something to say and she's very imaginative. She creates a world in the music, she tells a story when she's playing it.

"We've been a pretty big influence, but if we hadn't been around, she probably would have picked up the violin a bit later because I think you're sort of destined to find these things somehow.

"The more you can work with your child, the better. You don't have to be a musician. You just have to listen to them practising and make suggestions. Hearing music in the house is really, really important in that sort of development.

"The crucial thing is that it must be enjoyable and you enjoy an instrument more if you can play it well. You need to find some guidance to keep that enjoyment.

"Be patient. It takes time. And with someone as talented as Jennifer you have to make a lot of sacrifices. Violins cost a lot of money and then there's the time involved."

 TOP TIPS
  • Get a good teacher early on. Make sure your child gets on well with them.
  • Play lots of music at home and take them to concerts if you want to, they might really enjoy it
  • Listen to them practise and give them attention, even if you don't know anything about music yourself
 
Parents' Music Room Links:
Learning an Instrument
TOP OF THE PAGETOP OF THE PAGE
Jennifer Pike
OTHER FEATURES
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Starting Young: Choices
Fiona Bruce: My Children
George Alagiah Interview
Young Musician of the Year
Gifted Children
The Mozart Effect
Parental Advisory
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Computers at Home
Your Musical Heritage
Do DJs Play Music?
Music Therapy
Rapper Blade & Son
Music & Disability
 
  Parents' Music Room Links
Learning an Instrument
 
BBC Radio 4
Hear Jennifer talk about the competition
Young Musician of the Year
See video diaries from the concerto finalists
Young Musician of the Year
All about Young Musician of the Year
 
  Elsewhere on the web
Chethams School
Jennifer's school, where her father is Head of Composition
Chethams School
A story of success
Awards for Young Musicians
Jennifer Pike is a past recipient of this award scheme
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