Given this, it would likely have been little surprise that Yee proved to have an aptitude for the ivories. She began playing at age three and, at 11, received a full scholarship to the music programme of the prestigious Wells Cathedral School in Somerset, England.
Since then, Yee has won many competitions and has performed in countries such as Japan, Germany, Denmark, Hong Kong and, of course, the United Kingdom.
Her numerous accolades include being named first-prize winner of the 2022 Beecham International Piano Competition and 2021 Orbetello Junior International Piano Competition.
She also received the Gold of Honor Award at the He Yue International Online Instrumental Solo Competition in 2020 – the same year she was announced the winner of the Putra International Piano Competition.
And if you’re not impressed yet, Yee was also the Malaysian representative at the 40th International Junior Original Concert in Japan, and the Asia-Pacific Junior Original Concert held at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in 2012, during which she performed her own compositions.
All that, and this Sarawakian lass is only 19!
“There are so many aspects that I love about playing the piano. The piano, for me, is like an orchestra and I’m the conductor. And when I perform, it’s not just me that is creating music; the audience is also contributing, which is why every performance is different,” Yee told FMT Lifestyle in an email interview recently.
She names being part of the keyboard finals of the BBC Young Musician’s Competition in 2020 as one of her most memorable experiences: Yee was among only five top pianists from across the UK to have been selected for the honour.
“I think that was what opened my eyes to the art of performing and made me want to keep doing it,” she added.
Currently a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London on a full scholarship, she recently completed a series of UK solo recitals, including at St James Sussex Gardens, for which she was described by music critic Christopher Axworthy as possessing an “intellect and keyboard command of breathtaking audacity”.
And while she is preparing for a new series of solo concerts slated to take place in the UK this year, last month saw her back home performing at the Sarawak International Festival of Music and Arts as a “Successful Sarawakian from Overseas”.
Busy and accomplished as she is, the young pianist is also fiercely passionate about music education, which she believes is crucial for healthy human development and a well-rounded society.
“I can’t imagine what my life would’ve been like if I hadn’t been exposed to music at a young age. Music is such an integral part of everyone’s life, whether or not one realises it,” she pointed out.
“Watching a film, music plays a massive part in communicating the plot. Even if it’s not a part of your professional life, it acts as a vessel for us to release our emotions when we need it most.”
Yee added that she is pleased to see the growth of organisations in Malaysia that are committed to promoting music to the community through outreach projects.
“I’ve also noticed there are more music camps nowadays, so I am very grateful for the curators and leaders of these efforts who all share the same goal of bringing music to a wider audience in our country,” she concluded.
To learn more about Bridget Yee, visit her website. Also follow her on Facebook and Instagram.