Since 2018 The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has funded a scholarship at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire which is awarded each year to an undergraduate student on the BA (Hons) Acting course. I caught up with Aaron Price, the recipient of this year’s award, to ask him about his acting ambitions and how he was settling into his new course at RBC.
Emily Abdy
MMus Composition student
When I asked Aaron why he wanted to be an actor he smiled and said, “There was no why, I just always wanted to”. Then, on further reflection, he started to recall moments from his childhood which he realised had an impact on his ambitions. “I remember my Nan taking me to the theatre. Also, watching soap operas on TV. I didn’t understand what was going on at the time, but I knew I wanted to do what the people on screen were doing.”
Aaron took the leap to venture away from his home city to come to RBC; “I come from Cardiff and I wasn’t ready to leave home, so I auditioned in Wales for two years before I thought it was probably limiting my choices and decided to go elsewhere.” I asked Aaron what drew him to RBC and he explained that he appreciated the treatment the auditioning tutors gave him, especially after he had travelled such a long way, “I auditioned for lots of drama schools and this was the most welcoming. I felt like they wanted to get to know me as a person rather than just a number. They invested their time in me.”
He then spoke about his experience of the audition itself;
The Andrew Lloyd Webber scholarship covers the successful applicant’s course fees over the duration of their degree, and is awarded on both financial need and merit. I asked what receiving the scholarship meant to Aaron. “Obviously, I am very grateful for the financial help that the scholarship gives me, but it’s more about them putting their trust in me through giving me this award. It reassures me that I am meant to be here, and has given me a massive confidence boost.”
I was curious to know what Aaron was most looking forward to about studying at RBC, and he speaks highly of his peers already, despite only being a week into the course at the time: “My favourite part of the experience so far has been seeing the other first year actors perform during our diagnostic tests – for singing and acting. You find out a lot about other people during the tests from what they choose to perform, whether they’re the class clown and like to make people laugh or prefer to give more emotional or reserved performances. It was then that I realised how high the standard was, and I’m really looking forward to working with all of them during my studies over the next three years.”
Find out more about the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation.
