A 10-year-old musical protégé is flying to New York to play at the Carnegie Hall after success in an international music competition.

St Helen’s College pupil Rhys Concessao won second place in the American Protégé International Piano & Strings Competition 2014.

He participated under the Young Musicians (6-10 years) category with other pianists and also string players.

The American Protégé receives more than 1,600 applicants every year, from 30 countries around the world including China, Australia, Russia, Ukraine and Costa Rica. 

He is the only winner from the UK in this category and the first British young person to achieve the award.

Rhys has played in music festivals, piano recitals and international music courses all around the world and has won several gold medals and trophies since he was five.

In 2012, at age nine, he was the youngest pianist to perform at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, after an intensive International Summer Music Course at The Purcell School.

He was also invited to perform in Manchester, in front of prominent pianists. Some of his favourite composers are Bach and Chopin.

Rhys's school allows him a flexible schooling arrangement to meet the increasing demands of his musical ambitions.

He has also secured admission into one of the top specialist music school, The Purcell School, London and will be starting in September 2014.

For further details visit www.rhysconcessao.com