Singapore Polytechnic School of Media and Infocommunications Studies students (from left), Jemie Soh, Ng Wee Siong, Joyce Poh and Lau Wee Kiat, won a scholarship to study music at Keele University in Britain. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

JEMIE Soh plays the piano, the Chinese zither, as well as a Russian musical instrument called the theremin.

The music diploma course student in Singapore Polytechnic also writes and produce songs and music for movies.

She also sings in a Japanese rock band, plays the drums and guitars and even makes her own musical instrument.

The 19-year-old is one of four students from her music course awarded a scholarship to study music at Keele University in Britain.

Jemie, a former CHIJ Katong Convent student, has always been passionate about music and dreams of becoming a singer one day.

'There was once I cried because my mother told to stop music lessons, because of the O-level exams,' she said.

The other scholarship winners are Lau Wee Kiat, Ng Wee Siong and Joyce Poh, also from Singapore Poly's first batch of Music and Audio Technology diploma course.

They will get direct entry into the second year of the music and music technology degree course at the university in central England.

The four were chosen from 40 final-year students in the course, which prepares students for jobs as sound engineers, record producers or songwriters.

Keele's academic registrar Helena Thorley said she was impressed with the students, who 'were extremely motivated to continue their education overseas'.

Ten Keele undergraduates will also spend a month at Singapore's oldest polytechnic as part of their study abroad programme.

At the end of the attachment, the Keele students will put up a music performance with their Singapore peers.

Singapore Poly and Keele are also keen to explore staff exchanges and other tie-ups.