Joel Solomons enters the Royal College of Music — aged nine

Nine-year-old Joel Solomons has won a place at London's Royal College of Music.

A keen clarinet-player, Joel recently passed his Grade Five exam. The college is one of the world's leading music institutions, offering just 30 places a year. Joel took up his last month. He tells People: "When I was younger, my granddad bought me the Peter and the Wolf album and I liked the cat's theme, played by the clarinet."

A Year Five pupil at Aldenham school - which is sponsoring his place - Joel attends the college at weekends. He learns the clarinet, piano, choral work, orchestral ensemble and composition and is particularly excited about the ensemble work.

Joel started playing the clarinet two years ago. He skipped Grade Four and passed Grade Five less than three months after passing Grade Three.