Albany Is Music School's Opening Success - March 2006

A SHREWSBURY music school pupil is celebrating her success after becoming the first student to win an award.

Albany Holbrook, nine, has been studying with the recently opened Shropshire School of Classical Music at Kingsland Grange School since September.

She is excited to have come top out of 16 competitors in the beginners under nines piano solo class at the Oswestry Music Festival. Maria Giles, joint principal of the school, said "All of our pupils played exceptionally well at the festival and we, as teachers, along with the parents, feel very proud that the children, some as young as five years old, braved the stage to give such exceptional musical performances."

Proud parent Kate Holbrook, Albany's mother added: "We are all amazed at the amount of progress the children have made since joining in September. They become more and more motivated after each performance and we are looking forward to the children's Mozart 250th Anniversary Concert at The Gateway in June."

The piano classes took place in Oswestry Christ Church at the beginning of March.

Christopher Giles said: "It is a wonderful opportunity for young people to show their talents to a wide audience. The adjudicators commented on the exceptional musicality of our children and their ability to convey the performances effectively.

Delighted

"We were delighted that Albany achieved first place in the under nines class and opened the winner's concert the next day, as she is a deserved winner.

After our first Christmas concert in December, our pupils have bonded together exceptionally well and have supported each other wonderfully throughout the festival. We believe this to be an integral part of successful musical learning."