Yamaha Education News

Yamaha Partners Guildhall School of Music & Drama in New Piano Scholarship

Yamaha Music UK has further expanded its acclaimed conservatoire and specialist music school support programme with the announcement of a piano scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, whcih has named Ashley Fripp (pictured above) as the inaugural recipient.

The award is worth £3000 and Ashley is studying with the Guildhall's Head of Keyboard, Ronan O'Hora, who comments: "We're delighted that Yamaha is supporting Guildhall School musicians with this new piano scholarship. This award will enable talented young pianists to take up their place or continue their studies at the School, the next important step towards a professional career."

20-year-old Hampshire-born Ashley Fripp started his music studies at the Purcell School and has already won prizes at many notable competitions, including the Glasgow International Competition for Young Pianists in 2006, whilst in 2004 he reached the keyboard section final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year. In the same year he won first prize in the BBC Proms Young Composers Competition which resulted in a Radio 3 broadcast. He has recently given performances at the London Roundhouse, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. Future activities include solo and chamber recitals throughout the UK and collaborations with the National Youth Orchestra and Dance United at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London.

Mike Ketley, Senior Director at Yamaha, comments:
"Yamaha is so pleased to be able to offer this Yamaha Piano Scholarship to the GSMD. We are committed to supporting new and up-and-coming talented students in realising their dreams of becoming professional piano performers. This scheme compliments the Yamaha philosophy of inspiring more and more people to play and perform music and we look forward to future Yamaha piano scholars making an impact on the global piano performance scene."

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(posed March 2009)