A pupil who dedicated her school life to the harp is to join the Senior Royal Academy of Music.

Hannah Runting, a former pupil at Istead Rise Primary School, has been offered several scholarships thanks to her skill.

Hannah Runting playing her harp at the Try Angle Awards. Video: Dakota Dibben and Harriet Howes - IRCAtoday

Hannah took up the harp aged seven and over the past 10 years she has achieved numerous accolades, including the musical achievement honour in Kent’s Try Angle awards, an annual event which recognises the outstanding efforts and achievements of young people and groups across the county who try their best whether at school, work, college, in business or in their wider community.

Hannah played her harp at the ceremony this month, which was recorded under Covid restrictions and then aired online. She said: "It was quite surreal being followed around by a camera but it was such a fantastic opportunity, and it was incredibly lovely to play to real people again.

"Hopefully there won’t be too much time to wait before the next concert”.

The awards were pre-recorded by Kent County Council at Istead Rise Community Centre, in accordance with Covid-19 regulations, and were presented via Zoom last Friday.

The Maidstone Young Musician of the Year for 2021 also won an award for her composing skills in a national competition organised by multi-academy schools trust Haberdasher Aske’s.

Music written by the 17-year-old has also been played at St Martin-in-the-Fields, an English Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster which hosts many classical concerts.

At the moment, Hannah is a sixth form student at Mayfield Grammar School in Gravesend.

Istead Rise Councillor, Dakota Dibben, who helped organise the Try Angle awards, said: “I was so glad our community centre was used to host the ceremony for this year’s awards.

"It was truly amazing to see so many young people from our community who had achieved so much."

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