A 16-year-old girl from Southampton has been awarded a place at the National Youth Orchestra for her incredible ability to play the viola.

Annabel Cullington-Doss from Highfield was in her maths lesson at Peter Symonds College when she had a text from her mum telling her she had made it into the orchestra.

She said: “I was so excited when I found out. My maths teacher kept getting annoyed at me because I was so excited, I just could not focus on maths.

“I have been playing the viola and violin since I was three years old. I love being able to express emotion through sound.

“Music is my escape from reality, and I love being able to take people on a journey through my music.”

The college student is one of only 158 musicians across the country to have been selected to play in the National Youth Orchestra.

The organisation was founded in 1948 and has been selecting teenagers with outstanding musical talent and ability for the past 70 years.

In 2024 the National Youth Orchestra will perform in three concert tours across the country, including Liverpool, London and Manchester where the team will share their talent and love of music with audiences.

Annabel added: “I am really proud of this achievement and my years learning and improving have finally paid off.

“I will now have the opportunity to play in concert venues around the country which I am so excited for.

“I am also really looking forward to playing at the Royal Albert Hall in London – this is a one in a lifetime opportunity that I’m so grateful to be a part of.

“The National Youth Orchestra only put on the highest standard of music and I’m so happy to be joining their team.”

Many successful musicians started their careers with the National Youth Orchestra, including choir director and radio presenter Anna Lapwood, and famous trumpet player, Alison Balsom.