Charlotte, 7, wins music scholarship (From Salisbury Journal)

Charlotte, 7, wins music scholarship

8:51am Tuesday 20th June 2006 in News By David Vallis

A TALENTED child musician from Amesbury has become the pride of her school after winning a top scholarship.

Charlotte Ewins, who is only seven-years-old has landed a place at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester and will start her studies there in September.

Chetham's is the largest of the five specialist DfES-funded music schools in Britain, providing all-round academic education and world-class specialist tuition for 290 musically gifted pupils aged eight to 18.

The school is internationally renowned for its music tuition although a broad curriculum covering all arts, humanities and sciences is also offered to A2-level and pupils leave the school to follow distinguished careers, training as performers through music colleges worldwide, or studying music or other subjects at universities.

Charlotte lives in Simmance Way, Amesbury and currently attends Durrington Junior School.

Her piano teacher Hilary Harvey, of Porton, said: "In the two years I have been teaching Charlotte, she has shown enormous enthusiasm and potential.

"I am delighted that she now has this opportunity to continue her musical studies, and I am sure she will thrive in the community of Chetham's School of Music. I look forward to hearing about her future achievements as a musician."

Charlotte, who also plays the clarinet, violin and oboe, will be missed locally as a musician as she has played clarinet in the Durrington Junior School Band, Durrington Walls Wind Band, and also in various Saturday morning ensembles as part of Salisbury Area Young Musicians.

As a pupil at Chetham's, however, she will have the opportunity to play in chamber groups, choirs and orchestras, and to take part in concerts held regularly in key music venues such as the Royal Northern College of Music and the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, as well as further afield, including overseas.

Mum, Becky, confesses to being the source of Charlotte's musicality, as she herself has been involved in music from an early age, and now runs Jo Jingles the popular music and movement classes for pre-school children.

She said: "Charlotte eats, sleeps and breathes music to have the opportunity to live and learn in an environment that is as musically rich as Chetham's is beyond her wildest dreams."

Proud Dad, Mark, is a project technical manager for QinetiQ at Boscombe Down, and Charlotte has a younger brother, Alex, who is five.