LEARNING is reaching a crescendo for trombonist, singer and linguist Nel Gamon.
The Egglescliffe School and Sixth Form College student is moving closer to her Cambridge University dream on the back of two scholarships.
Nel, 17, of Sadberge, plays trombone in the school’s brass and big bands with grade 8s in both playing and singing, as well as being a member of the Middlesbrough Jazz and Blues Orchestra.
She received a Samling Academy Scholarship helping her access masterclasses in opera and perform at the celebrated Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead.
She also received the Dresden Scholarship as one of ten students then able to study in a German school.
“I decided to learn the trombone because there is a lot of brass culture in the North-East,” said Nel, who is studying A levels in music, German, English language and history.
“I love learning languages and want to read a degree in German and history, with music as an extra-curricular, at either Cambridge or Edinburgh. I am fascinated by the east-west partition in Germany and how that impacts on the country even today.
“After that, I am thinking about working in diplomacy at the UN or EU and it’s been great studying at Egglescliffe Sixth Form as staff are so supportive with everything I want to do.”
Egglescliffe School is ranked number one in the Tees Valley for sixth form provision according to The Sunday Times and is rated outstanding by Ofsted. It recently underwent a £12m investment in facilities.
It takes students from 15 schools across the Tees Valley and half secure places at Russell Group universities, with 100 per cent pass rate in 21 subjects, 25 per cent of which are at grade A and A*.
Deputy head Lee Henderson said: “We have some incredibly bright and talented students and it is our job and our pleasure to help them in any way we can, academically and with the things they feel truly passionate about.”