A TALENTED Skipton boy from the Yorkshire Young Musicians scheme will represent North Yorkshire in the UK’s most prestigious youth ensemble.

Skipton's Ben Finlay, a student of Yorkshire Young Musicians, has been playing his heart out in preparation for the National Youth Orchestra’s concert being held this Saturday at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London.

Ben, who plays the cello, has been part of Yorkshire Young Musicians for eight years.

Yorkshire Young Musicians (YYM), a top-level initiative funded by the DfE’s Music and Dance Scheme, was created to train highly talented young musicians in Yorkshire, and operates from two centres every Sunday in Hull and Leeds. Students benefit from high quality music tuition from some of the country’s top professionals, supported by a means-tested MDS grant, providing opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach, both in terms of affordability and quality of education, for many of the region’s youngsters.

He will embark on the next stage of his musical journey this September, to study at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, London, on a scholarship.

The National Youth Orchestra select their members via a fiercely competitive, gruelling nationwide audition process, where successful youngsters attend demanding, intensive training and rehearsal sessions during the school holidays, outside their school commitments.

Ben said: “I really love YYM and it has helped me so much, not just instrumentally but also in developing more generally as a person.”

The NYO will be performing in the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday and will be broadcast on BBC TV and radio.

YYM now invites any school-aged musician within Yorkshire to audition for the scheme.

Applicants do not need to have reached a certain grade/level, or be concerned about affordability at this stage.

All YYM requires is a passion for music, clear potential and a keen interest in developing musical talent.

Due to the high demand for grants and scholarships, early application is encouraged to secure a place.

Penny Stirling, director of Yorkshire Young Musicians, said: “The scheme is a fantastic opportunity for budding musicians and we are delighted to audition any child who is keen to pursue their dream. We very much look for potential rather than current achievement.”

For more information on the application and audition process, contact info@y-y-m.org.uk; follow Yorkshire Young Musicians on Twitter and Facebook @YYMusicians or visit yorkshireyoungmusicians.org.uk.