CrawfordTimes 16 online (1)

SARAH-JANE BRANDON
CRAWFORD LA LUCIA,
MATRICULATED 2001
Sarah-Jane is an international opera singer.
She is based in the UK but travels around the
world performing in operas and concerts
and on the recital platform. She is a full lyric
soprano, which means she sings the tragic
heroine who usually dies at the end of the
opera or gets the guy!
What is your greatest achievement? I feel that
there are so many performances that stand out for
me as moments that changed my life or impacted
me in a deep and meaningful way. I’m grateful that
I get to do what I love every day and make a good
living from it.
What is a funny or embarrassing memory from
school? For some reason I did well enough in
my tests and classwork to be asked to write the
Afrikaans Olympiad! I remember sitting the exam
and not having a clue what was going on. When
Mrs. Bothma announced the results of the Olympiad
in class I remember she turned to me and said
“Perhaps we’ll just pretend you didn’t write it!” I must
have failed dismally and shouldn’t have been writing
it in the first place.
What do you love the most and the least about
your career? Although I work in a sociable industry
and come into contact with many wonderful and
beautiful people, being away from home for long
periods of time without your loved ones around you
makes life very lonely. Saying that, I love that I get to
travel to and experience new places and cultures. In
the last four months I’ve worked and lived in Munich,
Palermo and Stuttgart!
What would you tell your 16-year-old self? Believe
in the beauty that is you, trust in what you know and
don’t worry so much!
Please share with us a fond memory from
Crawford. I remember with great fondness that my
sister who was in the year above me and I were the
only two music students in Grade 11 and 12 and we
had our
music lessons together. I
remember always laughing a lot in Mr. Wium’s class.
We got a lot of joy from teasing him!
What was the most important thing that Crawford
did for you? I believe the education I received at
Crawford paved the way for my future achievements
and successes. I was taught to be responsible, to
work hard to achieve my goals and all the while
celebrating my individuality.
What do you believe is the key to success?
Perseverance. Life throws curve balls at you all the
time and whilst I have a deep faith in God and try
to live my life according to that faith, I also believe
that He allows us to endure all sorts of challenges
which ultimately strengthen us and give us more
insight into who we are. Often those challenges can
bring you close to the point of wanting to give up
but that’s often when your breakthrough is coming.
Tenacity and determination in the face of hardship is
the only way to achieve your dreams.
Is there a certain teacher who motivated you or
had a significant influence on you? I had many but
I think Mr. Wium’s enduring belief in me and that he
nurtured and took care of my talent whilst I was his
student meant that I began my journey to the stages
of the world in the best and right way. Mr. Payne was
also someone who I felt inspired me – I loved English
lessons with him and I felt that he challenged us to
look at the world in a more open way.
How do you tackle challenges? Head on! I never
run away from difficult things. The only way to get to
the other side is to go through even if you endure
trauma in the process. There is always sunshine
above the clouds.
What disciplines/values are most important?
Being a person of your word is imperative. If you say
you’re going to do something, do it!
Is there a message you would like to share with
current Crawford students? Live in the moment,
laugh much, discover the world, love and be kind to
everyone because the world is full of hurting people.
Dare to be yourself!
Every child a masterpiece | 41