Hannah Allaway (harp)

Hannah is 14 and is from Herefordshire and currently holds Grade 8 on piano and clarinet and Grade 7 on the harp, each with distinction. Future Talent has been supporting Hannah since July 2009, when we provided funding towards the cost of her own harp, which replaced the smaller borrowed instrument she was using previously. Owning her own instrument has enabled Hannah to practise far more than before and as a result, she has made fantastic progress. Having a larger instrument has also meant that she is now able to play a more advanced repertoire.

Since Future Talent has been supporting Hannah, she has started secondary school and has been doing a great job of balancing her high school studies with her music. Hannah has played harp with various age-grouped  National Childrens Orchestra’s since 2008 and is currently a harpist with the NCO’s Main orchestra. She has performed with the NCO at prestigious venues from Gateshead to Bristol, Birmingham to London. Hannah was the youngest competitor in the Regional semi-final of the Rotary Young Musician of Wales Competition in 2011 and is also a member of a 15-piece ceilidh band, that plays regularly around Herefordshire and has taken part in Herefordshire’s contribution to the Big National Ceilidh, raising funds for Water Aid for several years.

Hannah is really looking forward to this year’s musical challenges as she prepares for her Grade 8 harp exam as well as attending this year’s NCO 3 courses.

 “We would like to give our sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone who has helped make this impossible dream come true.” (Mr Allaway)