Today, the British Embassy hosted the 12th Martin Gavie Trophy, a singing competition organised by the English Speaking Union (ESU). Seventeen schools were invited to the competition and each of them was represented by one of their pupils aged between 16 and 17. Participants had to prepare two songs of their choice in English. After hearing the seventeen songs, judges deliberated and chose five performers to sing their second song.
“The idea is a good and fun day for all the students” says Malcolm Rodman, Chairman of the ESU. According to the chairman, about 200 people attended the competition. “The ESU is all about understanding and good will amongst people while using the English language” comments Mr Rodman about the union. There was a great variety in the songs elected by students.
By the judges first deliberation I had heard “I don’t want to miss a thing” by Aerosmith, “girls just want to have fun” by Robert Hazard but also some more classical tunes like “think of me” from the Phantom of the Opera. Asked their standards of elections, the judges “value the most people having fun”. “Even with a sad song, you will get good will in your hands” one of the students tells me.
Most of the students who attended the competition are from bilingual schools although they are all from Argentina. While hearing the performances it was hard to tell they were not native English speakers. Most of them were music students. At the break, some of them were playing guitar and singing, showing their real enjoyment of the competition.
Fernanda, who was counted in the five finalists, has been speaking English since she was six. She agrees that singing in a foreign language helps her with the pronunciation and also allows differentiating the British from the U.S accent.
The Martin Gavie trophy was awarded to Delfina Navarro, 17. “I was not expecting it” she says. Asked about her future, she talks about going to study in Boston, U.S and continue her music studies.