A talented young organist from Sutton will soon be making sweet music among the dreaming spires of Oxford. Graham Midgley, from Church Road, will soon be packing his bags and taking up a place at New College, Oxford, where he will study music.

The 18-year-old was all smiles last week when he picked up his A level results and found out he had gained As in Music and Geography as well as two Bs in Music Technology and General Studies. A former pupil of South Craven School, Graham has been making daily trips over the Pennines for the last two years, to study music at Nelson and Colne College.

Says Graham: "The sixth form college is one of the few places in the area that does the Lancashire Music Foundation Course. It's always been an ambition of mine to study music and it was suggested to me last year that I could apply for a place at Oxford. After thinking about it over the summer, I decided to apply and went for the interview which was the worst three days of my life.

"I hope to carry on playing the organ in Oxford and I'm really looking forward to meeting different people and just the different way of life," Graham is also thankful to his Silsden-based mentor Grace Smith, who nurtured his musical talent from the tender age of seven.

Proud parents Richard and Kathleen say they are pleased that Graham's hard work has all been worth it. They are now waiting to hear how daughter Heather has fared in her exams. And while Oxford University will be gaining a fresh musical talent, the congregation at St Stephen's Church in Steeton will be losing their much respected resident organist.

The young maestro will also be missed by Glusburn Youth Theatre, where he is the musical director. A fan of all styles of music, he particularly enjoys listening to baroque music and composers such as Bach.

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