Josh Heaton
Success Story: Sarah Hoyle
Sarah Hoyle started the violin at the age of 5, and joined the string group at Burnley Music Centre soon after. When she was in Year 4 her class at Wellfield Church School in Burnley was part of the Wider Opportunities pilot project and she was given a saxophone to play, but towards the end of the year the woodwind teacher, Sue Wall, gave her the opportunity to try out the bassoon.
The Music Service lent her an instrument, complete with permission to have it altered so that it was playable by someone so small, and a year later the bassoon became her main instrument. She began to attend the Junior Royal Northern College of Music every Saturday, studying with Steve Magee (Halle Bassoonist). As well as taking part in the activities there, she became a member of the Lancashire Schools’ Symphony Orchestra (LSSO) and then the Lancashire Youth Symphony Orchestra (LYSO) whilst continuing to play in the wind band and wind quintet at Burnley Music Centre. She has had so many opportunities to perform; the Titanic Concert (2011) and last year’s composition concert at the Guildhall have been events she will remember for a long time, and she thought the residential trips with LYSO have been brilliant!
She is now at St Christopher’s Sixth form where she is studying A levels in Music, Geology and Psychology. She have been offered a place at the Royal Academy of Music from September.
