How Sponsoring a Student can Make a Difference

It was a visit to Japan that inspired Stuart Kinsey to sponsor a student at the RNCM. Here, he shares the story of how an afternoon in a remote town led to an inspiring relationship with an aspiring pianist.

‘On a short visit to Japan I went on my own to the centre of a small town, Narita, near Tokyo. 

I saw no other European that afternoon, heard no spoken word that I understood and saw signs that meant nothing to me. I had never felt quite so strange,’ he explains. ‘The thought occurred to me then, that Asian students I saw in Manchester might have similar experiences and that they might like to have English friends during their time in the city. Perhaps I could be a friend who could show interest in their studies and offer time and opportunity to see something outside the Manchester academic environment.’

On his return from Japan, Stuart and his wife contacted the RNCM with thoughts of befriending an international student new to the area and after taking advice from the College’s Development team, it was suggested that sponsoring a student would be the most beneficial.

He says: ‘My wife and I appreciate music and have long admired the excellent work carried out at the Royal Northern College of Music so befriending a student at the RNCM appeared to be a good idea. The RNCM team confirmed that the College and, more importantly, a visiting student, might be helped if we sponsored a student. A student was soon identified who we could sponsor and for whom we could become special friends; her name is Jingya Sun.’

Jingya, the first student to come to the RNCM by virtue of the RNCM China Foundation after she was affected by the earthquake in Chengdu, was born into a musical family. Her father, Weimin Sun, is an Associate Professor (piano tuning) at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music and her mother, Yi Li, recently retired from the same institution. In 2007, Jingya continued the tradition becoming a tutor in piano after graduating, and in September 2009 she joined the RNCM on the intensive 1-year MMus course.

On supporting Jingya, Stuart says: ‘It was very rewarding. We were invited to the RNCM to hear her play, both in private assessments – as parents or grandparents might do – and on more public occasions. Jingya is an outstanding pianist and when we heard her perform she gave us great pleasure. Her times with us at our home, accompanied by friends, were never long enough for us; she was always keen to get back to the College to continue her studies.’

Unfortunately, Jingya’s studies at the RNCM were cut short when her grandmother and first mentor, Professor Yuxian Lang, was taken ill in China. Jingya returned home, but support from the Kinseys continued.

‘We took Jingya to Manchester Airport on the first leg of her journey home and promised that we would visit her in Chengdu,’ says Stuart. ‘Jingya left with a visit in mind, and this was eventually arranged for the Chinese May holiday when Jingya and her parents would not be working. Many words would be needed to tell the full story of our visit, but we had a wonderful time visiting Jingya’s home, the amazing Conservatory where her side of this story began, and seeing many interesting things, made all the more special by being with Jingya, her parents and friends.’