Ten-year-old Bo’ness piano starlet hits all the right notes

Deanburn Primary School pupil Amanda Slater started learning to play the piano in January 2015, just one month before her fifth birthday. She passed her first grade in June 2016 and managed to pass two grades each year from 2016 to 2018.

She was due to take her Grade 8 exam this March, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic. She got the chance to re-sit the exam in August and passed with distinction.

And this month she achieved the next step up, an ARSM diploma, which means she can now use the letters after her name.

Amanda’s proud mum Summer Slater said: “I think it’s pretty good to have achieved what she has at her age. My husband Allan and I are very proud of her.

“She has never stopped advancing on the piano since she started learning aged four.

“Passing two grades a year since then is great, we are very pleased with her progress.

“She has not decided what she wants to do now she has reached the diploma level. But she is still playing the piano every day.

“She has done several performances over the years. She performed at one of our friend’s wedding with my husband singing, and she has performed several times at Craigmailen Church in Bo’ness at special occasions like Christmas.

“We would like to thanks Amanda’s piano teacher, Gillian Mole, for her continuous help and guidance.”