THESE are exciting times for the Arts in Peebles! As the town celebrates the Eastgate Theatre’s tenth birthday and basks in the success of winning a Creative Place award from Creative Scotland, Music in Peebles has landed a real coup. Its concert next week features the current BBC Young Musician of the Year, the outstanding young cellist Laura van der Heijden, who will be making her Scottish debut appearance.

Laura won the prestigious competition at the age of 15 with a performance of Walton’s Cello Concerto that was described in The Times as 'mesmerising’. Since then she has given many chamber music performances and has appeared as soloist with major orchestras. The youngest daughter of a Swiss mother and Dutch father, Laura started to play the cello at the age of six (having already started recorder at four and piano at five) and gave her first public performance at the age of nine. Although she has been studying at the Royal College of Music since 2005, she still attends her local secondary school in Sussex where she is currently working towards 'A’ Levels in German, Russian and, yes, Music.

Laura will be accompanied in this concert by Mana Oguchi, one of the finest of the new generation of Japanese pianists, who started even younger than Laura – she has been playing the piano since the age of three!

John Fox, President of Music in Peebles, said: “We were absolutely thrilled when we learned that Laura would be able to include Peebles in her February tour. “Our excitement grew even more when we realised that we would be hosting her Scottish debut. It’s a marvellous way for Music in Peebles to help celebrate our town’s Creative Places Award and the tenth anniversary year of the Eastgate Theatre, of which we are all so proud.” Laura has chosen the programme for her concert with the skill and the spirit of adventure of a seasoned professional. There are two favourite masterworks by Brahms and Beethoven, balancing two less familiar works, by Benjamin Britten and Russian composer Alfred Schnittke (the latter drawing on the composer’s film music).

The concert is in the Eastgate Theatre in Peebles on Tuesday, February 18, at 7.30pm. As with all Music in Peebles concerts, everyone is welcome. Tickets are available at £13 (£6 if accompanying a child under 12) from the Eastgate box office (01721 725777) or online at www.eastgatearts.com. Entry is free for all school students and Music in Peebles members. Full details of all Music in Peebles concerts can be found at www.musicinpeebles.org.uk.