S'porean teen, 13, causes Bhutan's king to break protocol with moving piano piece at cultural festival

She's only 13, but she's an award-winning pianist who has moved many with her piano-playing, and has performed at the mountain tops of Bhutan and in the vastness of Antarctica.

The talented pianist is none other than Singaporean teen Hillary O' Sullivan.

Performed for Bhutan king

When she was 12, O' Sullivan was invited to perform at the prestigious Bhutan's Royal Highland Festival, held in the village of Laya, some 4,000m above sea level.

The festival took place over two days, from Oct. 23 to 24, 2023.

Not only was she the first foreigner to be invited to the festival since its inception in 2016, O'Sullivan was also the youngest.

O'Sullivan performed a piece, "Rhapsody Of A Changing Antarctic", by Belgian musician Eric Bettens, and was also the chosen accompanist for a Bhutanese children's choir. 

Moved the king to break protocol

O'Sullivan's music resonated deeply with the festival's audience.

In the crowd was Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

He broke protocol and gave O'Sullivan a hug after her performance, as he was touched by the warmth of her music in the chilly mountain tops.

In an interview with The Straits Times, O'Sullivan shared that she was "so shocked" and "did not know what to do".

She said: "I got to see him up close and took a photo with him.”

Documentary filmed to raise awareness on climate change

O'Sullivan's Bhutan adventure was documented by her mother, Elaine Lim, 50, in a short film, "The Girl and Her Piano".

Lim is the creative director of White Room Studio, a local photography studio.

The film, which premiered at a private screening on Oct. 8, sheds light on the pressing environmental issues in the Himalayan region with a focus on the environmental threat to the glaciers of Bhutan.

The film-maker shared with ST that the film was self-funded and that there are plans for the documentary to be streamed online.

An experience of a lifetime

Reflecting on the experience of performing in Bhutan and Antarctica, O'Sullivan said her travels have exposed her to the "real and serious problems caused by climate change".

She emphasised the need for people to "change how we live our lives" both individually and "collectively as a community".

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Top image from Bhutan Royal Office For Media and @thegirlandherpiano/Instagram