Last year, Purcell School student Martin James Bartlett was crowned BBC Young Musician of the Year and next week the talented young pianist will return to his home county to perform with Dacorum Symphony Orchestra.

The orchestra, conducted by Thomas Loten, will perform a programme including Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Rachmaninov – the piece which won Martin his title – and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 5 and the polonaise from Eugene Onegin.

In September, Martin made his debut at the BBC Proms, performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Ulster Orchestra at the Last Night celebrations.

He has also performed with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Bournemouth Pavilion as the soloist in the opening concert of their 2014/2015 season.

Excitingly, Martin was one of 27 international artists – alongside Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Nicola Benedetti, the Scottish classical violinist, and Alison Balsom, the English trumpet soloist – to be chosen by the BBC to record a cover of the Beach Boys’ classic God Only Knows.

The song was first aired in October last year on all BBC TV and radio channels and was later released as the BBC Children in Need single.

Martin began his piano studies at the age of eight at the Royal College of Music junior department, before joining the Purcell School five years later.

This autumn, he began his undergraduate studies at the Royal College of Music, as a coveted Foundation Scholar.

In April this year, Martin will make his Royal Albert Hall debut, where he will perform for the first time with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

  • Martin James Bartlett will be performing with Dacorum Symphony Orchestra at The Centenary Theatre, Berkhamsted School, King’s Road, Berkhamsted on Saturday, January 17 at 7.30pm. Details: 01494 727240, dacorumso.org