Year 1 student already national piano champion

Junior School students Lionel and Dillon Chan are proving that dedication, passion and commitment go a long way to achieving personal best – no matter your age.

Wesley abounds with talented students who devote themselves with dedication, passion and a commitment to achieving their personal best, and recent success stories in the Junior School at Glen Waverley remind us that these personal strengths start developing from a very young age.

Year 1 student, Dillon Chan, is one of Wesley’s youngest pianists – and a national champ. Dillon was named the winner of the AMEB x Kawai Piano Competition, beating hundreds of entries from children 14 years and under.

Dillon very excitedly accepted his $1,200 prize of a Kawai digital piano and graciously decided with his family to donate it to his Junior School at Wesley College’s Glen Waverley Campus.

Musicality runs in the family, with Dillon’s brother Lionel (Year 3) also having his fair share of talent.

In August, the brothers competed in the Royal South Street, Ballarat, Schimmel Pianoforte competition. In their seven competition sections, the boys received an incredible six first places. Dillon received four first places and two second places. Lionel came first once, received two second places, one third place and one honourable mention. The boys also performed a duet, winning first place together.

The boys, who started at Wesley in ECLC, have their own piano at home, and wanted to share the prize with their peers at school.

‘Our children are fortunate that, at this young age, they are capable of giving back something to the community in which they have grown up, and which they love and we all love,’ the boys’ parents say.

A Chinese saying that the boys’ mum, Lin, learned from her own father still resonates: 滴水之恩，当涌泉相报 (The grace of dripping water should be reciprocated by a gushing spring.)

‘We’re thrilled that we can teach our children that they can share what makes them fortunate,’ the boys’ parents say.

Congratulations, boys, on your wonderful achievements, and may your playing become a lifelong passion!