Paddy marches to his own tune with top A-level scores

A KEEN trumpeter will soon be marching to his own tune after winning a place to study composition at a top music college.

Ripon Grammar School student Paddy Burnham, who also teaches guitar, achieved three A grades in physics, maths and music.

The 18-year-old, from outside Easingwold, will now take up his place at the prestigious Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

“I was inspired by playing in school to start composing big band music and composing for more orchestral instruments,” he said.

“I write for piano, brass, choirs, and chamber string ensembles and find inspiration in many things, such as nature, literature, or simply listening to my favourite music.”

Paddy began playing trumpet at six years old, inspired by hearing his local brass band perform. He went on to achieve his grade 7 in the instrument which he plays with York’s award-winning Shepherd Youth Brass Band, which came top of its section at the National Youth Brass Band Championships this year.

He recently toured Belgium with the North Yorkshire County Youth Orchestra.

Also playing guitar and drums to grade 8 and piano to grade 5, he regularly performed with his school’s brass band and other ensembles, juggling his studies with rehearsals every lunch time, in addition to a part-time job in his local pub.

He now wants to keep playing and composing and hopefully make a career out of it, he says.