PIANO prodigy Tom Yang is hoping to follow in the footsteps of world-famous musician Nigel Kennedy after being given a place at one of the country’s top music schools.

The-eight-year-old has only been tinkling the ivories for just over a year, but he is about to become one of youngest pupils at the Yehudi Menuhin school in Surrey, which counts the Brit award-winning violinist among its alumni.

Tom, who lives in Kibblesworth, Gateshead, with his mother Hongyu Liu, 36, stepfather Alan Shepherd, 42, and brother Flint Shepherd, two, will join the school after the Easter holidays.

He was invited to apply for a sought-after place at the school – which only has around 60 pupils from all over the globe – after Alan videoed him performing at Gateshead’s Metrocentre.

And in a three-day audition, he wowed the teachers so much that they offered him a near-immediate start.

Alan, a salesman, said: “It all started during the school holidays, when I had broken my finger and couldn’t take Tom out. I asked him if he ha d ever thought about music and started to show him some chords and scales.

“I had learned to play the piano about 10 years ago from a neighbour, but Tom just took off with it. I showed him one scale, the next day he learned two, the next day 10.

“Then suddenly he was playing Mozart and Chopin.”

Tom, who is currently in Year Three at Kibblesworth Academy, started learning piano 13 months ago and has gone from strength to strength.

“His teacher said she has never had a pupil like Tom,” said Alan. “He is very gifted. He plays for 45 minutes or an hour before school, and an hour or two when he comes home.

“We’ve always said to him that he doesn’t have to do music, but he really enjoys it.”

Tom performed at the Metrocentre last year, and Alan videoed his performance.

“I sent the video to a couple of music schools and two invited him for audition and offered him places,” said Alan. “The schools said he had impressed them enormously, they both wanted him.

“But he is really looking forward to going to Yehudi Menuhin as he really liked it there.

“He will board during the week but come home at weekends until he is 11. It will be difficult logistically going up and down from Tyne and Wear, but it is a phenomenal school.”

I showed him one scale, the next day two, the next day 10. Then he was playing Mozart and Chopin