Talented Lily hits the right note

And it is all the more amazing because 11-year-old Lily Atkin only began playing any musical instrument a little over two years ago.

Now, she has achieved Grade eight distinction in Alto Sax, Grade five in piano, and Grade five in Jazz Alto Sax.

She has also played at a number of public events and Masterclasses and won awards and special mentions for her music.

Her proud father Chris said: "She started learning piano in 2011 and sat her first ABRSM exam in the autumn of that year. She then moved on and has just taken her Grade five in piano.

"At the same time she was learning the Jazz Alto sax and passed her Grade one in just six months from starting. She then moved straight on to Jazz Grade five which she passed about 18 months after she first started playing.

"She sat her Alto Sax Grade seven exam in Summer 2013, at two weeks notice and passed and then sat her Alto Sax Grade eight this year. It was the only Grade eight distinction awarded in saxophone at Shrewsbury School that day."

Lily said: "I always knew I wanted to play the saxophone. I love playing, because it makes me feel free. Music is a bit like reading a story, and when I play, it comes alive.

"I'm lucky, I do find my saxophone quite easy to play, however, I work really hard. It is so important that you practise, so that you can improve.

"When I perform, although I feel nervous I enjoy it. I know when I've done a good performance because it makes other people feel emotional.

"Grade 8 was just the beginning for me, because now I'm learning how to really perform, and to do little techniques, that improves my playing to almost a perfection, because nobody is perfect, even professionals, they can always get better, still improve, its other people's opinions, what they think is best.

"It's good to play with emotion so that people can identify you, but thats not all, it's also good because people think your actually inside it, being it, feeling it, making it come alive.'

Lily currently plays Tenor Saxophone with the Shrewsbury High School Saxophone Quartet, Prep School Orchestra, Jazz Group and Sax Ensemble. She sings in the Chamber and School Choirs and has recently taken up the clarinet and is studying Grade five after three lessons. In her spare time, she also plays Ukelele and Guitar - which she has taught herself.

Lily's music teacher Maria Eglinton, head of woodwind at Shrewsbury School, added: "Lily is an exceptional musician. She is incredibly enthusiastic and clearly loves the saxophone. With amazing support from her family she is progressing at an astonishing pace and will undoubtedly go far. I'm giving her as many opportunities as possible to play and perform."