SOPRANO cornet player Charlotte Heaton has hit the high notes after being selected to play in a major brass band.

Charlotte Heaton, 16, a pupil of Holmfirth High School, has made it through a nerve-wracking audition to be given a place in the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.

The year 11 pupil has been playing cornet since the age of seven.

But now she will be playing at the highest level – and fitting it in around her GCSE studies.

Charlotte, of New Mill, said: “I just love playing.

“It’s good to play with other people who enjoy it as well.

“It’s quite a hard instrument to play too, but it’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing.”

Her music teacher told her to audition for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, which she did last December and immediately she secured a place.

The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain was founded in 1952 by Dr Denis Wright.

It exists to give exceptionally gifted young brass instrumentalists the opportunity to perform advanced music and receive the highest quality teaching.

The New Mill musician is currently on an Easter course at Taunton School – her first with the band.

She’s spending her week rehearsing with other band members and her course will conclude with two spectacular concerts in Yeovil and Cheltenham, which guest conductor Dr Nicholas Childs, conductor of the Black Dyke Band, will lead.

Charlotte joined the Skelmanthorpe B Band in 2006 and began playing soprano concert in 2008.

She regularly plays concerts with the mixed-aged band.

The teenager auditioned for the National last December and had to play three pieces – two she had prepared and one given to her on audition day.

Charlotte added: “I had practised but it was still nerve-wracking on the day.

“They told me straight away that I’d got a place and I was a bit overwhelmed by it.”

She comes from a musical family too – older sister Tamara also plays cornet and it was seeing her play as a youngster that encouraged Charlotte to take up the instrument.

Dad Christopher plays baritone but mum Angie leaves the music to the rest of her musical family.