Year 8 student Taya Tur​ plays​ piano,​ drums and violin and will​ receive a means-tested grant of up to £2000 to pay for key musical costs such​ as instruments,​ equipment, music lessons and travel, plus support to cater to​ their individual circumstances.

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The​ Award​ is given by​ Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) who​ help​ young people with exceptional musical potential. AYM​ received a record​ number of eligible applications for its​Awards​ programme this year.

​Many former​ Award​ winners have achieved great success in their musical careers, such as​ Jess​ Gillam​ who is now AYM’s​ youngest Patron,​ Julian Bliss,​ Sean​ Shibe, Gavin Higgins, Duncan Ward​ and BBC Young Musicians winners​ Jennifer​ Pike​ and​ Martin James Bartlett.

Faculty Leader for Performing Arts at Prince Henry’s said “Taya is a committed musician at school, playing in the string orchestra, learning drums and violin in peripatetic lessons and playing ukulele and guitar as a hobby. It’s no surprise that she has received this scholarship – she is a talented musician.”​

AYM Chief Executive​ Hester​ Cockcroft​ comments:​ “We’re delighted to announce this year’s​Award​ winners. Musical​ talent is everywhere, but more than ever, opportunity isn’t.​ AYM is here to change this and our​ Awards programme is vital​ in helping enable​ talented young people achieve their musical potential. We’re​ very much looking forward​ to working with them!”

The​ Award​ winners represent​ a spectrum of musical interests, genres and mediums, although AYM is perhaps​ best known​ for its support of young instrumentalists. This year’s​ Award​ winners​ range from students of violin and piano through to the​ electric guitar and​ drums, to Irish​ bodhrán and Andean charango.

AYM has​ also increased its support for young people creating original music, from​ classical composers to songwriters and​ electronic music producers.​ To find out more, visit​ https://www.a-y-m.org.uk/