8-year-old Avon Resident Receives Award and Performs at Carnegie Hall

After a mere two and a half years of piano lessons, 8-year-old Avon resident George Stephan was awarded a 2010 Certificate of Excellence by The Royal Conservatory for scoring the top mark in Connecticut on the Grade 1 Piano Examination. 

He performed and received his award at a public ceremony held at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, Feb. 5. 

The Royal Conservatory, founded in 1886, conducts 100,000 examinations annually in more than 300 communities around the world. In 2001, it established its National Music Certificate Program in the United States in order to provide American students with an opportunity for evaluation and achievement. 

Stephan started playing piano at the school he attends, Farmington Valley Academy Montessori in Avon.

“I had him in the regular music classes and his mom said that he was really interested in piano . . . We said we will give it a try," Sue Ann Armstrong, Stephan's piano teacher said. "Sometimes it works with 5-year-olds and sometimes they’re not ready, but he was really ready."

Stephan began taking piano lessons with Armstrong on a weekly basis. His mother, Eileen Stephan, who also studied piano as a child, helps him practice his assignments. He practices daily for 10 to30 minutes. Sometimes he plays before school for fun. 

“He really likes a broad cross-section of music. On any given week he’s working on a traditional classical piece of his level and also working on something more contemporary,” Stephan said.

Armstrong started preparing her student for the National Music Certificate Program last year. He studied for the level 1 exam, preparing a number of pieces and learning some sight-reading and music theory. 

“He took that exam with an examiner who came down from the Royal Conservatory in New Haven, CT at the Neighborhood Music School, which is the closest testing site for us,” Stephan said.

During the holidays, the Stephan Family was informed that George received the highest score in Connecticut on the Grade examination. 

“By virtue of that, he had been invited to Carnegie Hall to receive his certificate of excellence and also have the opportunity to perform if he’d like to, so he did both: he went to Carnegie Hall for the ceremony and he also played,” Stephan said.

George Stephan’s family and his teacher, Armstrong, attended the ceremony.

According to Eileen Stephan, George was a little anxious about performing, but his nerves did not stop him from “playing beautifully.” 

“I think I was more nervous than he was,” Stephan said. 

George is currently preparing for the Grade 2 Examination with Armstrong. He will take the exam in May. 

“With his … passion for music and … dedication to practicing, he’s been able to accomplish an extraordinary level of playing in a short time,” Armstrong says.

“The fact that George took to the piano early on, has some talent for it and enjoys it is great. Our hope is that he can continue to perfect it and enjoy it for the rest of his life,” Eileen Stephan said