BBC Orchestra Is Music To The Ears Of High 5 Winner

A brave and talented High 5 award winner attended BBC National Orchestra of Wales’ (BBC NOW) latest Brangwyn Hall performance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Rotary Club gave Chiara Robinson a front row seat to see Wales’ national orchestra as a part of her prize for winning a High 5 Award. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 13-year-old won a High 5 award in 2016 for showing amazing courage in the face of difficult illness. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In addition, Chiara joined BBC NOW’s orchestra workshop playing alongside a professional musician in the pre-concert youth orchestra performance. On the night, she was also lucky to meet BBC NOW’s Principal Guest Conductor Xian Zhang. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bishop Gore pupil Chiara won a High 5 because judges felt her positive attitude, incredibly upbeat personality, and sheer determination to not to allow her difficulties to control her life is inspirational. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At no stage has Chiara let her health challenges affect her studies or negatively impact on school. When she is too ill to be in school she is the first to ask for work to complete at home. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The packed out concert took Chiara and the rest of the audience on a journey across stormy oceans to the opulence of the East. Scheherazade is based on the story The Arabian Nights, and is a dazzlingly colourful work full of rhythmic vitality and flavours of the Orient. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The High 5 awards celebrate the achievements of inspirational children and young people across the in the city and their ambassador is Swansea City FC captain Leon Britton. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tony Beddow, spokesman for the Rotary Club of Swansea, said: “The High 5 Awards and the way they celebrate young people and enable them to inspire others is exactly why the Rotary Club has been involved with them from the start. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“One of the nice things about the awards are the unique prizes designed around the youngsters themselves, so we’re delighted to be part of making some of those special experiences happen. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Chiara is a lovely young lady who has demonstrated such commendable qualities that we are happy to be part of his rewards.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​