With the motto: “Kindness in heart, effort in action”, the 17-year-old violinist Meya Cordewener tackles the 2026 National Youth Music Competition (NYMC), believing that the competition can help her grow as a musician.
Last year she competed as a cellist. She struggles to choose a favourite between the violin and the cello, saying she loves both instruments equally. “But sometimes, in performances, it feels like I can express myself better musically when I am playing violin.”
The talented musician also plays the piano. She started her musical journey on the piano when she was eight years old. The following year, she started with violin lessons and four years later it was the cello.
Her first music teacher was Ans Becker, and currently she is taught cello by Throy Petersen and violin by Prof. Farida Bacharova. Like fellow contestant Misha van der Merwe, it is mainly distant lessons via the internet.
Meya has three musical role models, namely Augustine Hadelicht, Maria Dueñas and Chloe Chua. “Augustine’s musical, clean and perfectly intonated playing really inspires me. His phrasing and sweet sound is always exceptional. Maria Dueñas interpretation is always bold, unique and fascinating. I also love Chloe’s phrasing where every note she plays has a meaning.”
Music runs in the family. Her mother plays the piano, and her mother’s cousin plays the violin. Meya’s younger sister plays classical guitar, “but she sees herself more of a gymnast than a musician”, she chirps.
According to this rising star, she doesn’t have a favourite composer, but if forced to make a choice, Felix Mendelssohn, Ludwig von Beethoven and Antonio Vivaldi top her list.
“Mendelssohn has unforgettable melodies and combines the emotional freedom of the romantic era with the structural clarity and elegance of classical masters. Beethoven’s music moves from dark and stormy moods to bright, joyful celebrations. I love Vivaldi for his fast, energetic rhythms and bright melodies,” says Meya.
The young musician describes herself as caring. She generally tries to practice the violin two hours on weekdays and three to four hours on weekends.
In her free time, she likes jogging and playing netball. She also likes studying, reading and sketching birds.
If she could be an inanimate object, Meya wants to be a story book as reading stirs her imagination and inspires her to improve. It also reminds her that, like in a good book, true beauty is always found within.
Once she has matriculated, the young star would love to study music at the tertiary level and play as a soloist with professional orchestras.