Young aspiring musicians are being encouraged to put their names forward for an educational bursary.

Applications are now open for the Roz Kelly Music Bursary, an annual award made to two music students who are heading to the UK to further their music education.

The bursary is applicable to Manx students aged between 16 and 21 who are resident in the Isle of Man and able to demonstrate musical promise and enthusiasm through a written application and is able to provide a written recommendation from a teacher or similar musical mentor.

An award of up to £1,000 is available to each successful student, who will be able to put the funds towards taking part in a UK-based music summer school of the applicant’s choice.

That includes online courses if the participants are unable to travel to the UK.

One former recipient of the bursary has said how he has been helped through his previous year’s studies and believes other students would benefit from the fund.

Marcus Tyrer was awarded the bursary in 2020 to help him further his learning of playing the saxophone.

In the face of the coronavirus travel restrictions, his course has been deferred until this year. He has spent the previous few months playing with the Manx Youth Orchestra, as well as take up a volunteer teaching position with his old school band.

’It has been a strange few months as a musician,’ said Marcus.

’ I had to start setting my own targets, which was tougher than it first seemed.

’Despite the restrictions on meeting up with others, keeping in touch with musicians in the same situation as me kept my morale high to keep on practicing.

’It was such a relief to be able to get back to playing music with other people again.

’It led me to return and volunteer with the Manx Youth Orchestra and the Castle Rushen High School big band and wind band in a teaching role. I have started volunteering because I want to pass on my knowledge and skill to younger musicians and inspire them to find a passion for playing music.’

The bursary was established following the death of Roz Kelly in 2015.

Roz was a keen singer and enthusiastic musician who could turn her hand to playing a variety of instruments, from the violin to the piano and the French horn.

She was a regular competitor at the ’Guild’ and also sang with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and the Liverpool Chamber Choir.

She was also a member of the Manx Youth Orchestra and took part in many tours around the UK and elsewhere with the band.

Roz was keen for other young musicians to have the opportunity to participate in music as she had.

The closing date is Monday, February 22.

More details are available by emailing [email protected] or by calling Andrew Cole on 898377.

by Mike Wade

Twitter:@iomnewspapers