Two Portage la Prairie musicians received Royal Conservatory of Music gold medals for the highest exam scores for instruments and grade levels last weekend at an awards ceremony in Winnipeg.

13 year old Tunika Appah received the Level 2 medal in piano. She admits she was surprised to win it.

"When I saw my mark for sight reading, it was kind of low, so I thought maybe it might not get the medal. It's a good feeling -- you're proud to get the medal. It's something that you work hard for."

Appah's instructor is Lily Mallard, who teaches out of the Portage Conservatory of Music, and the Tauber Music School in Winnipeg. She says when she saw her 95% exam score, she realized Tunika had a chance at a medal.

"Because not a lot of people receive 90% and above. I used to have a student who received close to 91%, 92% -- I cannot remember, but in the 90s. She unfortunately did not receive a gold medal back then, so I was very happy when I received the e-mail informing me of Tunika being the recipient for this year."

15 year old violinist Emilee Martel also won a gold medal, for Level 7. It's her fifth medal, and she contrasts this one with those she's won in the past.

"My first medal was grade 1, I believe, when I was young. That was pretty good, and then this time it's like, "Wow", because Level 7 is way more advanced by Level 1, so it's good."

Martel's teacher is Krystena Krahn from Winnipeg. She also credits Crescentview School music teacher Diane Hamilton, who helped prepare her for her piano exams, as well as her Intermediate and Advanced Rudiments theory exams.

Here are pictures.