Japjisingh Valecha

What made you want to study your course at the University?

I grew up in India where I undertook lessons in Tabla and Hindustani classical vocals. My first piano lesson at the age of 10 marked my shift to Western classical music and also got me interested in music production. My teacher in India highly recommended Leeds because of its commitment to growth and high teaching standards.

I myself was attracted by the variety of modules and the freedom of choice offered by the School of Music at the University, which allowed me to specialise in both performance and composition. 

Describe the aspects of the course that you have enjoyed the most. 

I enjoyed being a student ambassador and concerts intern in School of Music. It allowed me to interact with different people and deal with unforeseen situations in a creative manner. This also added substance to my profile when I was applying for a Masters course and contributed in securing a scholarship to study composition for visual media. I am now studying Composition for Film and Visual Media at Masters Level.

Being involved with various performance societies was a gift in disguise for me. I got to experience orchestral playing with LUUMS (Leeds University Union Music Society) and was also involved as rehearsal pianist and pit band musician for various productions in the university. This gradually enabled me to gain more professional paid work as a rehearsal pianist for amateur music theatre societies based in Yorkshire.