Alyssa Hartley wins medal from Trinity College, London for exams results

**Alyssa Hartley achieved the highest exam score for the Manawatu/Rangitikei/Whanganui region in speech, drama and musical theatre exams and was awarded the top medal from Trinity College London. **

Her mark was 88% in the grade 6 exam and she won a silver medal which is awarded to entrants in grades 6 to 8. (Grades 3 to 5 can achieve a bronze and beyond 8, a gold). Alyssa says, “I didn’t even know the medal existed until I won it.”

There were no other silver medals awarded, although there were a few bronze medals in other categories.

Her exam, which she did last August, involved:
• Singing two songs
• Doing a monologue – which was a character piece from ‘Oliver’.
• A dance related to the theme of the other pieces so “I did a sad dance related to my songs which were ‘Memories’ from Cats and ‘Just you Wait’ from ‘My Fair Lady.’

Alyssa is taught by Lynn Whiteside for singing, Mel Hawkins for the monologue and she choreographed the dance herself. She sings in the Whanganui High School Choir Awa Side and will be auditioning for the school’s production as well as taking drama and music as subjects. She was also in the cast for Amdram’s production of ‘Bad Jelly and the Witch’ last year as well as being Louisa in their production of Sound of Music.

Her mother, Megan said that, “Alyssa does one hour of singing tuition a week as well as one hour of drama study. Then she does hours and hours of practice at home.”

Younger sister Lucy, aged 11, is also involved in Musical Theatre passing grade 4 with merit as well as passing a Trinity College singing exam with distinction.

Alyssa would love to have a career in musical theatre. In the meantime, she plans to study for either grade 7 or 8 this year.

River City Press 5/2/20