Two Sheffield Music Hub Musicians Secure Places at Leading Conservatoires

Sheffield Music Hub is proud to celebrate the achievements of two outstanding young musicians, Ben Ollerenshaw and Tasmin (Tas) Mohammed, who are both taking exciting next steps in their musical journeys after securing places at leading conservatoires.

Both students have been part of Sheffield Music Hub for many years, and it has been a pleasure to watch them grow into confident, talented and driven musicians.

Ian Naylor, Head of Music Education Sheffield, spoke about Tas and Ben: “At Sheffield Music Hub, we work with thousands of young musicians from every corner of our city each week. Whatever their background, circumstances or lived experience, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive, and we aim high for every single one of them.

We know that music can have a profound and lasting impact on a young person’s life. For many, their musical journey will become a lifelong source of enjoyment, confidence, creativity and connection, even if they choose a different career path in the future. Our young people go on to become engineers, teachers, doctors, solicitors and skilled tradespeople, taking with them a lifelong love of music and the skills, resilience and ambition that music helps to develop.

Some choose to pursue music professionally, and we are always immensely proud when they achieve success at the very highest level. This year, we are delighted that two of our young musicians, Tas and Ben, have secured places at leading music conservatoires.

We are especially proud that Tas has become the first young person ever to secure a fully funded place on the Royal Academy of Music’s innovative Foundation Year programme. This remarkable achievement reflects not only Tas’s talent and dedication, but also what can happen when young people are given the encouragement, opportunities and support to realise their potential.

At Sheffield Music Hub, we are committed to ensuring that every young person can dream big and achieve more than they thought possible. Tas and Ben’s successes are an inspiration to the next generation of musicians across Sheffield, and we could not be prouder of them both.”

As they prepare for the next stage of their musical journeys, we are delighted to share their stories and celebrate their journeys thus far.

Ben Ollerenshaw

Ben is an incredibly hardworking and talented young musician who began playing the clarinet at the age of nine with Sheffield Music Hub Music Leader Dawn Allenby. Two years later, he took up the alto saxophone and soon transitioned to lessons with Sheffield Music Hub's brilliant accredited teacher, Kim Storr. Ben was a member of several Hub ensembles, starting with Sheffield Children's Wind Band and progressing all the way to the City of Sheffield Festival Band.

A student at Tapton School, Ben was an active member of the music department, performing with a range of groups including the school orchestra and jazz band. He joined the Tapton Jazz Band in Year 8 and, as his mum Charlotte Ollerenshaw explained, "this is where he developed his passion for jazz."

At the age of 16, Ben joined Sheffield Music Hub's Sheffield Youth Jazz Collective and Sheffield Youth Big Band. Rory Evans, director of Sheffield Youth Big Band, said: "It was incredible to see Ben's skills develop at such a rapid pace, especially his improvisation and jazz phrasing."

Alongside his playing with Sheffield Music Hub, Ben formed a jazz quintet with friends from school and is now performing with the group professionally.

This September, Ben will begin studying for a BMus in Jazz at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. We are incredibly proud to have supported him throughout his musical journey and look forward to seeing where he goes next!

Gillian Hume, Music Hub Manager, shared: “Ben’s ensemble journey began in our intermediate clarinet group at the age of 10, where talent and potential were evident from the outset. Though quiet and unassuming, Ben quickly distinguished himself through an exceptional level of commitment, focus and musical maturity. Always striving for the highest standards, he approached every rehearsal and performance with dedication, ensuring that his part was prepared to the very best of his ability.”

Tasmin (Tas) Mohammed

Tas started singing at the age of 14 and soon began lessons with Sheffield Music Hub Music Leader Emma Ward. At 16, she joined Concordia Voices, the senior choir within Sheffield Youth Choirs, where she continued to develop as a musician.

Reflecting on her lessons with Emma, Tas said: "She gave me the space to thrive and never tried to put me in a box or steer me towards one particular genre. While I am now thriving in classical singing thanks to Emma's teaching, I am also able to perform pop music and musical theatre. Emma was incredibly supportive. She even took me to London for conservatoire auditions, sat in interviews with me and supported me throughout the whole journey."

At the age of 18, Tas began volunteering with Concordia Voices to give back to the musical community that had supported her growing up. She was particularly keen to support younger singers and the choir led by her former teacher, Emma Ward.

Tas later spent a year in the Opera North Young Performers Studio, where she gained valuable experience as a classical performer. Her time at Opera North supported Tas' journey to the Royal Academy of Music and played an important role in preparing her for study, particularly as she came from a more contemporary musical background.

Emma Ward, Music Leader and singing specialist, shared: “I had the pleasure of meeting Tas in May 2022 when she came for her first singing lesson. I think she would agree with me saying that we didn't quite see eye to eye when it came to repertoire initially, but out of that came a journey of development and discovery. I am so proud of all that she has achieved, and will no doubt continue to achieve at RAM this next year and further, wherever she ends up. I am so honoured to have been part of her journey.”