A gifted young Midlands musician is scaling the heights with her brilliance on clarinet and cello.

Solihull School’s Katy Baker is studying both instruments in the Junior Department at the world-renowned Royal Academy of Music in London and recently won a top international award in Vienna.

The talented 13-year-old is also celebrating with her friends from the leading independent school, violinists Anika Vairavaraja and Lauren Raybould, after they were chosen to join the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) Youth Orchestra.

The CBSO is considered to be one of the world’s great orchestras and its youth set-up gives up-and-coming players an experience as close as possible to playing in a professional symphony orchestra.

The young players are coached by CBSO musicians and conducted by some of the world’s leading conductors.

Katy said: “I am really excited to be joining the CBSO Youth Orchestra and also a little daunted!

“We are going to be playing some very exciting but demanding music, and I know I am going to learn a lot from being part of it.”

It’s the latest success for Katy, who started playing cello as a six-year-old and added the clarinet to her repertoire five years ago.

Katy added: “I was thrilled to earn a place to the Royal Academy last Christmas, where I am already making great strides.

“I am now a joint first study cellist and clarinettist playing in two orchestras and a quartet and working with the most amazing teachers.”

Katy’s skills and dedication paid off when she visited Austria to compete against instrumentalists from all over the world at the Grand Prize Virtuoso Music Competition in Vienna, where she clinched first place in the 13 to 15-year-old category for clarinet.

She later returned to Vienna to play in a concert alongside other international musicians.

Katy’s keeping her options open, though, when it comes to determining her future career.

She said: “I will always play my instruments and work with other musicians but I don’t know yet whether I will try to become a professional.”

Solihull School headmaster David EJJ Lloyd said: “Katy’s achievements this year have been absolutely outstanding and a great reward for all her hard work.

“Many congratulations to Anika and Lauren, too, as joining the CBSO Youth Orchestra is a real honour and a terrific opportunity.

“We can’t wait to see how all three of them progress after working with such a world-renowned organisation.”

 

The Solihull School students will be making their CBSO Youth Orchestra debut at 3pm on Sunday, November 3. Tickets are available at https://cbso.co.uk/event/cbso-youth-orchestra-the-rite-of-spring