A teenage saxophonist from Easton has won through to the semi-final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.

Robert Burton, 18, a Hinchingbrooke School pupil, triumphed in the woodwind category final of the competition, thereby booking his place in the latter stages of the event.

The BBC Young Musician woodwind final was broadcast on BBC Four on Friday. The woodwind finalists were: flautist Marie Sato, bassoonist Francis Bushell, recorder player Eliza Haskins, clarinettist Tom Myles, and Robert Burton.

The panel of judges for the final were Emma Johnson, clarinettist and herself a BBC Young Musician winner in 1984, Juliette Bausor, principle flautist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and chairman of the jury, composer Kerry Andrew.

BBC Young Musician 2018 will run weekly until the grand final on May 13, with coverage also on BBC Radio 3. The five category finals (strings, percussion, woodwind, brass and keyboard) are presented on television by Josie D’Arby.

Each category comprises of five finalists, who each perform in front of an audience and a specialist panel of adjudicators at the new Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. One musician from each category final will go through to the semi-final, with three going through to the grand final.

BBC Young Musician, the UK’s leading contest for young classical musicians celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2018 with a host of special activity including a special BBC Four documentary, a new series of podcasts, an exciting line-up of presenters and judges and the first ever BBC Young Musician prom. The competition was first held in 1978, it has come to be regarded as the benchmark for outstanding young talent, with a reputation for discovering and championing the stars of the future.