QUEEN Elizabeth’s student, Estella Browne, is celebrating her success in securing a much-coveted place to study the French horn at the outstanding Purcell School for young musicians.

The Purcell School is Britain’s oldest specialist music school. Estella auditioned in February and was offered her place the very next day.

As the Purcell school is in Hertfordshire, Estella will be boarding there, and whilst many young people would be anxious about living away from home for the first time, she is very much looking forward to the whole experience.

She said: “Boarding and studying at Purcell should be fun, playing and studying music is what I’m used to and what I love; it’s what makes me feel at home and so I think I will be fine. I’m only worried about how much I will miss my dog, I’ll probably miss him more than anything else.”

Studying music at the Purcell School will be very challenging, however, hard work and dedication to her instrument is nothing new to Estella who currently travels by train to London every Saturday in order to receive tuition at the Royal Academy of Music at their Junior Academy.

The Academy provides intense individual lessons, a variety of performance opportunities and specialist classes to talented and committed young musicians, like Estella, who want to be inspired and challenged in their music making.

In addition to studying for her GCSE’s at Queen Elizabeth’s and attending the Royal Academy on Saturdays, Estella is also a member of the National Youth Orchestra, who only recruit young musicians who have already achieved the very highest degree of technical facility on their instruments.

Estella thoroughly enjoys being a member of the NYO and one of her most memorable musical experiences was playing on the NYO Inspire Brass Ensemble residency last year in Liverpool, and getting to experience the incredible standard of NYO for the first time.

Lucy Welsman, Music teacher at QE said: “Estella is a highly talented musician and has been a real asset to QE for the last five years. She has been a valued member of the Into the Woods and Les Miserables orchestras and completed GCSE music a year early.

“She has also been a committed member of various music groups and activities outside of QE. We are sad to be losing her this year but have no doubt that the prestigious Purcell School of Music will be the perfect place for her to refine her already considerable talents.

“We wish her the very best with her studies and also congratulate her for getting through to the final round of this year’s ‘Two Moors Festival’.”

A successful career in music seems inevitable for the talented Estella, who hopes to successfully audition for Conservatoire upon completion of her studies at the Purcell School. The Music department and all of the QE community join in heartily congratulating Estella on her musical accomplishments and wish her all the very, very best for her continued success.