Nothing stands in the way of Roma musician

Brayden Black has moved on from the accident which destroyed his French Horn, and now he's headed to Queensland's best music institution.

MUSICAL GIFT: Brayden Black, 14, will attend the Queensland Conservatorium this weekend, courtesy of Rural Aid's Gift of Music. Last year the young musician was hit by a car and his French horn was destroyed. Picture: Contributed

FRENCH horn player and St John's student Brayden Black has gone from a terrifying accident to taking the opportunity of a lifetime to playing with elite musicians at the Queensland Conservatorium High Brass Weekend.

The 14-year-old musician was struck by a car while leaving school in October last year, but was saved because his instrument took the brunt of the impact.

Touched by Brayden's story, charity Gift Of Music gifted Brayden with a second-hand French horn in time for the start of the school year and the added trip to the high brass weekend is beyond his wildest dreams.

"This is so amazing, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that, even last year, I never thought would happen to me,” Brayden said.

"The high brass weekend starts (this afternoon) and we have a lot of really good French horn and trumpet players coming from all over the world to do master classes with us and lead our ensembles.

"All of the people on this workshop are at a very high level and it is such a privilege to go and meet them, talk to them, and play with them.

"Really, I'm just blown away by the whole experience and am really keen to get in there and start playing.”

The Rural Aid charity sent him to Brisbane to learn from some of the best in the business.

"Rural Aid's Gift of Music program is very happy to support Brayden in his musical quest,” Gift of Music general manager Wayne Thompson said.

"When we heard of his accident before Christmas, we jumped at the chance to help him get back into playing music.

"We want children in rural and remote areas, especially in places like drought ravaged western Queensland, to have opportunities to play music and enjoy the benefits it gives.”

Originally published as Nothing stands in the way of Roma musician