When Megan Burns plays the trumpet it blows her great dane dog Ash away - he even provides some vocals to go with the sweet tunes.

But Ash isn't the only one the 16-year-old Tauraroa Area School student has impressed.

Her trumpet playing has also won her a spot in the New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds group.

This has meant extra practice which four-legged friend Ash loves.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Ash, he'll run from wherever he is in the house and knocks on our door and sings. Ash is my biggest fan," said Megan.

Megan comes from a musical family. Her dad Grant plays the trumpet, her sister has played flute, bass guitar and the saxophone, and her brother is learning to play the piano.

"I started playing seriously when I was in Year 7 but before that I had been playing around for a bit because of dad. I was really young," she said.

When Megan was in Year 8 a school jazz band was formed.

"I fell in love with playing jazz and performing. That's when I kind of realised I love being on stage. Performing is what I do. The trumpet is loud," she said.

Megan has been involved in several musical groups. She plays in her school jazz band called In the Foyer, she has played in the Whangarei Youth Music orchestra and concert band and she occasionally plays for the Basin City Big Band.

Last year she passed her Trinity College Grade 8 trumpet exam, an internationally recognised certificate, which was her goal. It is the highest level under teaching certificates.

"It was so scary sitting the exam, I was shaking and it's so difficult to play."

To audition for the NZ Youth Symphonic Winds group, Megan sent in a video of herself playing a piece of her choice. She chose one of her grade 8 pieces she had been practising all year.

She was thrilled when she got an email to say she was successful and would be one of about 40 band members.

"I was pretty surprised when I found out but pretty pleased," she said.

Megan travelled to Wellington on Monday for a NZ Youth Symphonic Winds concert tomorrow.

In August Whangarei is hosting the Concert Band Festival, and the NZ Youth Symphonic Winds group will be playing as a guest.

The band will also be playing in Auckland and somewhere further north. This means before concerts there will be rehearsals with the entire group in Auckland.