Conway Anne Marie

With her piano teacher Debra Laundrie. Conway recently won a gold medal in a province-wide competition.

Article by Lois Ann Baker
Cornwall Standard-Freeholder
November 16, 2016

It's what every young pianist aspires to and what every piano teacher hopes for their students.
Moose Creek resident Anne Marie Conway recently won a gold medal in a province-wide piano competition. Conway won the gold medal from the Royal
Conservatory of Music for academic excellence for the year from Sept. 1, 2015 to Aug. 31, 2016. She had the highest mark for Grade 9.
Conway has been playing piano since she was about three or four years old.
"My mom was a piano teacher and as soon as I was able to talk we got into piano lessons," she said. "I don't know what age exactly, just that I was very young."
"That's her secret to success," said piano teacher Debra Laundrie.
"I would hear music all the time, even when she (her mother) was pregnant with me," said Conway.
Conway said she loves playing the piano and it is still one of her passions. She said when she first heard she had won the gold medal; she wasn't really sure what it meant.
"I was surprised because there are so many amazing piano players in Ontario,'' she said. "I saw that a few months ago when I went to the provincials. The standards are
very high."
"I was elated," said Laundrie. "But also a little suspicious in a way."
Laundrie said the competition was in January and once she heard Conway's mark was 95, she suspected if Conway didn't win gold, she was very high up in the competition.
"I was waiting and waiting, but then Anne Marie called me," she said.
Laundrie said the competition included not only playing the piano in front of judges, but Conway had to complete two theory exams as well.
Conway said she likes to go to a lot of festivals where there isn't much of a competitive atmosphere.
"It's more just to enjoy music," she said. She has been to the Kinsmen Festival a number of times.
Conway said she always got a little nervous just before playing in front of an audience. But that's normal," she said.
"But usually once I get to the piano; I feel comfortable. It's just the build up to it."
Conway is already sharing her musical talents. She already has two young students she is passing her skills on to. But Conway said she wasn't sure where her musical future will lie. Being only 15 years old, she has plenty of time to make that decision, said Laundrie.
Laundrie has been teaching piano for about 35 years and this is the first time one of her students has won gold in an Association of The Royal Conservatory
competition.
"I had lots of students do Grade 10 in ART which is one level up from that (Conway's competition)," said Laundrie. "But never anyone who won gold. It is a huge
Competitive thing. You can appreciate how many students are taking piano lessons all across Ontario.
"Usually once I get to the piano, I feel comfortable. It's just the build up to it." Anne Marie Conway