AS a young piano prodigy, Ashley Fripp's ambition was always to play at the Royal Albert Hall.

Now, at the tender age of 16, the omens are looking good for the former pupil, pictured above, of Chandler's Ford's Thornden School.

Four years ago he astonished guests by playing both classical pieces and his own compositions when he became lounge bar pianist at the Hilton Hotel in Chilworth.

Since then Ashley has taken up a boarding place at the Purcell School of Music in north London, having been awarded a scholarship to go alongside his Saturday place at The Royal College of Music in London.

Last weekend he played Liszt's Totentanz for piano and orchestra with the Ealing Symphony Orchestra at St Barnabas Church in London as his prize for winning last year's Ealing Festival. On February 26 he will be playing for Princess Alexandra at the Cadogan Hall in Sloane Square as part of a charity concert.

In April the young musical maestro is due to play at the 3,500-seat Royal Festival Hall as soloist with the Royal College of Music JD Symphony Orchestra in the final concert of the Richard Stilgoe Concerts.

Ashley said: "I won a competition at the Royal College of Music. There were auditions for people to perform the Warsaw Concerto."

After last weekend's performance in Ealing, Ashley says Ealing Symphony Orchestra conductor John Gibbons wants to work with him again.

"It went really well. The concert was recorded on to DVD and a CD will be printed," he added.

Ashley, who is in his fourth year at the Royal College of Music and has another two and a half years left to study there, said he was pleased with his career so far.

"It is all looking quite positive and I am enjoying it. But it is really hard to say - in a year's time who knows what will happen?

"I have lots of good opportunities coming up and I am certainly looking forward to the next year in particular."

Despite all his success, Ashley still has his original goal in mind. He said: "There is something special about the Royal Albert Hall."