A young musician has been given an award from Awards for Young Musicians (AYM).

Erin Muldoon, of Knebworth Path, Borehamwood, started playing the recorder at the age of four and moved to the flute and now the oboe.

The 11-year-old was one of the 180 young instrumentalists to win a 2016 award and was given a Robert Lewin Scholarship.

Award winners will receive financial help for their musical costs and will also benefit from support including mentoring, workshops and master classes.

Erin said she was very excited about getting the recognition and being part of the scheme.

“I am really looking forward to being part of the AYM programme this year and taking part in all of the activities,” she said.

“Spending a day playing with the BBC Symphony Orchestra will be really inspiring.”

AYM’s 2016 Award winners include a wide range of instruments including classical violin to rock guitar and even church organ to jazz drums.

Through the awards programme AYM offers help to young people of school age and provides continuity support.

AYM’s director Hester Cockcroft said: “It’s likely that in the future more and more families will become even more reliant on us as opportunities for funding music education are becoming even harder to find.

“We know from our work that they UK is bursting with musical talent and yet we have only been able to support a small fraction of this incredible potential.

“Simply put, we are not able to reach enough of those young people and to help make a real difference in their lives.

“This fact alone makes us even more determined to pursue our cause: that no young person with serious musical potential and a strong commitment to learn and grow should ever go unsupported.”

Erin now plays first oboe with Barnet Youth Orchestra as well as in a number of groups at her school.

According to her mother, Dorothy Maxwell, Erin is still a keen recorder player and has won a number of awards over the years competing in festivals across North London both as a recorder and oboe soloist.