At 15 years, Typhoon le Garde shows a maturity well beyond his years.
Originally from Moranbah, he and his mother, Trysett, lived in Thailand when Typhoon was young; he learned to read and write Thai script before he could read and write English.
Typhoon became interested in playing the trumpet in primary school, where he was already involved in drumming, swimming, martial arts, dance, drama and tennis.
“It made the coolest noise and the loudest noise,” said Typhoon.
He worked hard, walking dogs and feeding cats to save $750 for the trumpet.
This was the first of several entrepreneurial projects where he raised funds to further his education.
Typhoon and Trysett visited France in 2020, intending to have a ‘gap year’ before he went to high school.
Typhoon had been put up a year in primary school and Trysett didn’t want him to start high school at 11 years of age.
They enjoyed the trip immensely, with Typhoon attending a Conservetoire de Musique in Lezignan and mother and son exploring their French family background.
Unfortunately, the trip was cut short by Covid. Returning to Australia after three months they were amongst the first people put into hotel quarantine.
Prior to going to France, Trysett visited Arts Ablaze in Kooralbyn and fell in love with the area.
She visited Kooralbyn International School and knew it was the right school for her talented son, so they moved to Beaudesert.
Typhoon recently received a partial scholarship to the Young Conservatorium at Griffith University, where he studies on Saturdays.
He leaves home at 5.30am and does the South Bank Park Run, recently achieving a personal best time of 16 minutes, 32 seconds.
He attends the Young Conservatorium for the rest of the day.
On Sundays, if he isn’t at home doing jobs around the house, he is competing in swimming carnivals or helping with projects for Beaudesert Rotary.
Every day is busy, but he enjoys the many activities he takes part in.
A keen tennis player, he won his division at the Beaudesert Tennis Club this year.
He was playing two nights a week and wanted to have private lessons to improve, so he began collecting cans to pay for the lessons. His neighbours supported him by giving him their cans as well.
Typhoon studies piano through GTM Studios and says his favourite genre of music is techno-funk.
Typhoon loves the trumpet above other instruments and recalls busking in Sydney prior to going to France.
“I made $96 in three hours,” he grinned.
He learned to play the bugle so that he could play on Anzac Day for his grandfather.
Sadly, his grandfather was too ill to attend the Anzac Day service and passed away in 2022.
Also a keen science and math student, Typhoon is interested in a career in aeronautical engineering, but he hopes to do a Rotary Exchange overseas when he finishes school.
