Rhiannon (Year 8), who plays the tenor trombone, has recently received two high profile awards for her trombone playing - an EMI Music Sound Foundation scholarship and the Robert Lewin Scholarship from Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) - following a highly competitive day of tough auditions in London.

The EMI Music Sound Foundation is an independent music education charity, established in 1997 to celebrate the centenary of EMI Records and to improve young people’s access to music education in the UK & Ireland.  AYM's annual Awards Programme gives grants of up to £2,000 each year to exceptionally talented young musicians aged between 5 and 17.  The funding can be used to support music-making in any genre, helping with costs such as buying an instrument, music lessons, course fees and travel. 

Rhiannon passed her Grade 8 Trombone exam with Distinction in March 2009 aged just 11 years old and in April 2010 became the youngest person in the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Wales.  She is using the awards to purchase a new trombone from Michael Rath who very kindly allowed Rhiannon to visit the factory in Huddersfield to meet the Rath Trombones team and see the instruments being made.

Hester Cockcroft, AYM's Director said:  'Once more, we have had a very high number of applications for support this year from some incredibly talented young people so Rhiannon should be very proud of the achievement in gaining an award. Music is central to most people's lives and talented young people like Rhiannon live and breathe music.  We're here to help them fulfil their potential and hope our support will help Rhiannon embark on a lifetime of musical discovery and achievement.'

Rhiannon is a member of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Wales, National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain, Greater Gwent Youth Orchestra, Greater Gwent Youth Symphonic Winds, Greater Gwent Youth Jazz Orchestra and Greater Gwent Youth Brass Band.