Sarah Hoben | TrinityTalent 2021

Trinity Talent celebrates Sarah Hoben for her Creative Flair in Music - Classical and Jazz. 

Sarah Hoben | TrinityTalent 2021

18-year-old Sarah was nominated for her extraordinary performance and Creative Flair in her Singing Grade 8 for Classical and Jazz with Flynn Performing Arts. 

Fiona Flynn, a professional musician and the Director of Flynn Performing Arts nominated Sarah for TrinityTalent, and said: "Sarah is an accomplished, intelligent and sensitive musician who has received distinctions in all examinations to date... She has been a consistently strong student and is an inspiration to the younger students in her school."

The TrinityTalent panel said: "We can see how Sarah brings her performing to life. She's combined her singing with her acting which is why we see lots of Creative Flair in her performances. She's doing incredible things in her artforms."


How do you feel about being selected to be part of TrinityTalent Class of 2021 and being recognised in this way?
I feel extremely grateful to have been selected to be part of TrinityTalent Class of 2021. I never expected to be picked and I am just delighted that I’ve been chosen.

How do you feel you have developed creatively and artistically in 2021?
2021 has certainly been a year of creative and artistic development for me. I suffered from long Covid for ten months. I was very sick and unable to do many things that I normally could. I had very little energy, so I spent a lot of time just listening to different artists and genres of music and trying to form a deep understanding of what exactly goes into writing a song or piece of music. I enjoy studying what makes a song memorable, whether it be a rhythmic ostinato or a riff, the instrumentation or the melody, and I’m hoping to take some of this into my own performing and writing.

I’ve been continuing to learn the piano and have been trying to teach myself some guitar. I also completed my Grade 8 Singing and have begun working on my Diploma and Grade 8 Musical Theatre. I do think my voice has developed in maturity in the last year. I’ve been pushing myself to learn harder pieces and develop my technique so I can push the boundaries of the songs themselves and my own songs.

I also feel I’ve made massive developments in my own compositions. In 2020, I felt that I couldn’t write a song, but since being unwell, I’ve realised that life is short, and song writing is an amazing way to express your emotions. I’ve listened to many different bands and artists and I can really understand those emotions in ways I couldn’t before because I’ve had a glimpse into the passionate feelings it takes to write that kind of music.

What impact did your Trinity qualification achievement have on your artistic development?
My Trinity exams have allowed me to sing songs in a range of different languages. For my Diploma, I am singing songs in a range of different languages. One of these songs is ‘Les oiseaux dans la charmille (The Doll Song)’. I find this song very challenging, but singing it allows me to challenge myself even more. Another song that is particularly special to me is ‘Summertime’. I actually learned that it is a lullaby, which is something I never knew before.

Has taking part in a Trinity qualification helped you to develop wider skills, such as communication skills, creativity or confidence?
Taking part in my Trinity exams has certainly given me more confidence and helped develop my communication skills. I have made great friends with people my age who also take part in the exams as we share a love of singing and music. I, like many people, suffer from stage fright quite frequently. There have been times where I cannot remember a single word of the song I am singing right before I go onstage! The strange thing is that as soon as I begin to sing, the fear completely disappears. This happens nearly every single time I sing. Learning so many songs with Trinity over the years has really improved my confidence.

My creativity has definitely benefited through Trinity exams and the Arts Award as I have explored a vast array of different genres when choosing songs to sing. I have learnt how something as simple as the inflection on a word can change how a piece is interpreted, and how vibrato and dynamics can add such emotion to a piece of music. 

If you took a digital music or drama exam, please tell us how you found the experience of recording your performance
I personally quite enjoyed the experience of digital exams. There was less pressure to get it perfect because I could always start over or come back the next day and re-record my performance. However, I am looking forward to going back to in-person exams. There is something unique about going into an exam room and just giving it everything. Knowing that you can’t make mistakes in the in-person exam adds to the pressure, but I find it gives me the extra push to get it right the first time and give as good a performance as I can.

What are the next steps for you artistically and creatively in 2022?
I’m really pushing myself to write more of my own music and complete my Diploma in Singing. I have begun recording snippets of songs and producing them myself. My aim is to create as much music as I can within the next year and continue to do this for as long as I can to see where it takes me. The goal for me is to focus as much as I can on finding and developing my ‘sound’. I also plan on completing my Grade 8 Musical Theatre. I am excited to learn new songs and explore the stories behind them.

What are your longer term aims, for example for your future studies or work?
I would really like to go into the music business. When I have completed my A-Levels this year, I want to go to university to study music. I haven’t decided whether I would like to study a pure Music degree or Music and Audio Production. I am really interested in studio work. I love how you can take a song and, with a little bit of magic in the production, it can be completely transformed to create a really great sound. I actually think music producers are magicians!

Have you got any advice for other young people working towards a Trinity qualification?
I would say do not be intimidated. If you have worked hard at something, you deserve to be recognised by giving your best performance.

Is there anything creative you’re currently working on you’d like to tell us about?
I suppose just song writing. I have been working hard over the last year to find my sound. I’ve also been tapping into the poetry aspect of lyrical writing. My mum is an amazing poet, and we often talk about the ‘muse’ that takes over when we write. Through all the listening I did and continue to do, I’ve really begun to appreciate just how much time and energy it takes to write a song. I’m trying to find the most natural way to create music without any outside noise.


Read more about the talented young people selected to be featured as part of the TrinityTalent Class of 2021.

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Trinity Talent

Trinity Talent

TrinityTalent celebrates talented young people achieving Trinity’s music, drama and Arts Award qualifications in the UK.

Teachers and students can nominate young artists aged 13-25 who have shown excellence in one of the following categories during 2021: CREATIVE FLAIR | PROGRESS | LEADERSHIP

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