Staff Report
Sharav Shyam, the 13-year-old son of Vishal and Swati Shyam of Arlington, has achieved a remarkable feat – he has earned the Six Year National Award from the National Guild of Piano Teachers for performing a 10-piece memorized program each year for six years in Germantown’s Piano Guild Auditions, where he earned a Superior (A) rating each year. He received the Guild’s six-year pin and a porcelain bust of Tchaikovsky from his teacher, Benita Pepper, of Lakeland.
Sharav is an eighth-grade student at Arlington Middle School and is a member of the Lego Robotics team and Perennial Math Group, where he placed 4th in competition. He is a member of the school band, where he plays French horn and placed 4th chair in Blue Band at All-West and competition.
He has studied piano with his teacher for more than six years and has performed in five annual recitals. Sharav played piano in a school talent show and took dance lessons for four years, where he won an award. In addition, he enjoys playing golf, tennis, soccer, and baseball.
In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar, being outdoors, and hiking. He is particularly interested in aviation and geography.
Looking ahead, Sharav plans to attend either the University of Tennessee-Knoxville or the University of Memphis upon graduation from high school, and is planning a career as an airline pilot or journalist.
“I am very proud of Sharav’s accomplishments,” said Benita Pepper, Sharav’s teacher. “He is an incredibly talented and dedicated student.”
