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Young Stars of the South West: Music, Myth and Mural
Join us at The Sherborne for the launch of Young Stars of the South West, a new artistic platform celebrating exceptional musical talent from across the region, while creating opportunities for emerging young performers.
Set within the inspiring surroundings of The Sherborne’s Pavilion and gardens, this special summer evening brings together internationally respected artists, gifted students and audiences of all generations for a performance shaped by music, storytelling and shared discovery.
Conceived in response to Of Myths and Murals, The Sherborne’s summer season featuring works by Mat Collishaw and The Baron Gilvan, the programme draws on themes of mythology, transformation, disguise and desire across both visual art and music.
The evening will feature Grammy Award-winning British bass-baritone Neal Davies, alongside baritone and pianist William Drakett, with young musicians from Wells Cathedral School.
One of Britain’s leading bass-baritones, Neal Davies has performed with English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, the BBC Proms and major orchestras across Europe and North America. He won a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd, and is also a professor at the Royal College of Music, where he helps train the next generation of singers.
William Drakett studied organ and harpsichord at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire before training as a singer with Prof. Konrad Jarnot at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf. He was previously Organ Scholar and Acting Assistant Organist at Portsmouth Cathedral, where he played for numerous broadcasts and recordings, before working as a répétiteur and vocal coach in the Vocal Department of the Robert Schumann Hochschule.
William now lives in Wells, where he is Head of Vocal & Choral Studies at Wells Cathedral School and a Vicar Choral at Wells Cathedral. Alongside these roles, he maintains an active career as a baritone, performing in concerts and recitals across England and Germany, with a particular love of the art song repertoire.
Two young musicians from Wells Cathedral School will also perform as part of the evening: Lucas Zhang on viola and Anton Pigott on piano.
Lucas Zhang is a 13-year-old musician with a love of music and performance. He began learning the violin at the age of seven, and by nine had been accepted into Wells Cathedral School as a violin specialist. At eleven, Lucas began learning the viola and quickly developed a strong connection with the instrument. He now studies viola as his first instrument with Alex Thorndike at Wells Cathedral School.
Lucas has achieved success in a number of music festivals, winning several first-place awards for his performances. Most recently, he was named a 2026 Two Moors Festival Young Musicians Competition Winner.
Lucas will perform J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, Prelude and Courante, and Ernest Bloch’s Suite Hébraïque, Movement 1: Rapsodie.
Anton Pigott began playing the piano at the age of three with Jill Bird, a Suzuki teacher in Totnes. Now 18, he has recently completed his final year at Wells Cathedral School, where he studied with Professor John Byrne. He made his debut at the age of 16, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Lyric Chamber Orchestra, and has since performed in masterclasses with world-renowned musicians including Dame Imogen Cooper, Steven Osborne OBE and Sir Stephen Hough.
Anton’s recent competition successes include first place in the 18 and under category of the EPTA UK Piano Competition 2026, and selection as one of four winners in the Two Moors Festival Young Musician Competition 2026.
Anton will perform Frédéric Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 31, and Olivier Messiaen’s Prelude No. 1, “La Colombe”.
Potential repertoire for the evening also includes scenes and arias from Tannhäuser, The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni, alongside lighter selections from Gilbert and Sullivan. Together, these works echo the spirit of the evening: myth, metamorphosis, love, wit and theatrical transformation.
Education, mentorship and engagement sit at the heart of The Sherborne’s charitable mission. This event is designed not only as a performance, but as an invitation: to encounter remarkable musicianship, support young talent, and experience the arts as something alive, generous and shared.
Make an evening of it at The Sherborne: explore the House and galleries before the performance, then stay on as the celebration continues into the gardens with canapés.
Saturday 11 July | 6pm
Location: The Pavilion and Gardens
Tickets: £20 | Includes performance, welcome drink and canapés
Under 17s go free when accompanied by a paying adult. Please book your adult ticket as usual, then let us know how many under-17s will be attending using the form at checkout. This helps us manage numbers safely.
Please read our Booking Terms before completing your purchase. Tickets are refundable up to 48 hours before the event start time. We are unable to offer refunds within 48 hours of the event or for non-attendance.
Join us at The Sherborne for the launch of Young Stars of the South West, a new artistic platform celebrating exceptional musical talent from across the region, while creating opportunities for emerging young performers.
Set within the inspiring surroundings of The Sherborne’s Pavilion and gardens, this special summer evening brings together internationally respected artists, gifted students and audiences of all generations for a performance shaped by music, storytelling and shared discovery.
Conceived in response to Of Myths and Murals, The Sherborne’s summer season featuring works by Mat Collishaw and The Baron Gilvan, the programme draws on themes of mythology, transformation, disguise and desire across both visual art and music.
The evening will feature Grammy Award-winning British bass-baritone Neal Davies, alongside baritone and pianist William Drakett, with young musicians from Wells Cathedral School.
One of Britain’s leading bass-baritones, Neal Davies has performed with English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, the BBC Proms and major orchestras across Europe and North America. He won a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd, and is also a professor at the Royal College of Music, where he helps train the next generation of singers.
William Drakett studied organ and harpsichord at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire before training as a singer with Prof. Konrad Jarnot at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf. He was previously Organ Scholar and Acting Assistant Organist at Portsmouth Cathedral, where he played for numerous broadcasts and recordings, before working as a répétiteur and vocal coach in the Vocal Department of the Robert Schumann Hochschule.
William now lives in Wells, where he is Head of Vocal & Choral Studies at Wells Cathedral School and a Vicar Choral at Wells Cathedral. Alongside these roles, he maintains an active career as a baritone, performing in concerts and recitals across England and Germany, with a particular love of the art song repertoire.
Two young musicians from Wells Cathedral School will also perform as part of the evening: Lucas Zhang on viola and Anton Pigott on piano.
Lucas Zhang is a 13-year-old musician with a love of music and performance. He began learning the violin at the age of seven, and by nine had been accepted into Wells Cathedral School as a violin specialist. At eleven, Lucas began learning the viola and quickly developed a strong connection with the instrument. He now studies viola as his first instrument with Alex Thorndike at Wells Cathedral School.
Lucas has achieved success in a number of music festivals, winning several first-place awards for his performances. Most recently, he was named a 2026 Two Moors Festival Young Musicians Competition Winner.
Lucas will perform J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, Prelude and Courante, and Ernest Bloch’s Suite Hébraïque, Movement 1: Rapsodie.
Anton Pigott began playing the piano at the age of three with Jill Bird, a Suzuki teacher in Totnes. Now 18, he has recently completed his final year at Wells Cathedral School, where he studied with Professor John Byrne. He made his debut at the age of 16, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Lyric Chamber Orchestra, and has since performed in masterclasses with world-renowned musicians including Dame Imogen Cooper, Steven Osborne OBE and Sir Stephen Hough.
Anton’s recent competition successes include first place in the 18 and under category of the EPTA UK Piano Competition 2026, and selection as one of four winners in the Two Moors Festival Young Musician Competition 2026.
Anton will perform Frédéric Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 31, and Olivier Messiaen’s Prelude No. 1, “La Colombe”.
Potential repertoire for the evening also includes scenes and arias from Tannhäuser, The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni, alongside lighter selections from Gilbert and Sullivan. Together, these works echo the spirit of the evening: myth, metamorphosis, love, wit and theatrical transformation.
Education, mentorship and engagement sit at the heart of The Sherborne’s charitable mission. This event is designed not only as a performance, but as an invitation: to encounter remarkable musicianship, support young talent, and experience the arts as something alive, generous and shared.
Make an evening of it at The Sherborne: explore the House and galleries before the performance, then stay on as the celebration continues into the gardens with canapés.
Saturday 11 July | 6pm
Location: The Pavilion and Gardens
Tickets: £20 | Includes performance, welcome drink and canapés
Under 17s go free when accompanied by a paying adult. Please book your adult ticket as usual, then let us know how many under-17s will be attending using the form at checkout. This helps us manage numbers safely.
Please read our Booking Terms before completing your purchase. Tickets are refundable up to 48 hours before the event start time. We are unable to offer refunds within 48 hours of the event or for non-attendance.