TEN-YEAR-OLD Max Blansjaar is having a chance to reflect on his success after premiering his first composition in London.

Max, from Drayton St Leonard, south-east of Oxford, performed his work at the Yamaha European Junior Original Concert in Euston Road’s Shaw Theatre.

He was one of eight performers from the UK in a line-up of 19 young composers from across Europe, aged between six and 14.

Max’s piece, The Cat and the Butterfly, paints a picture of the animals’ playfulness using music.

Max said: “The cat is very self-confident, and he marches around thinking he is the best.

“The butterfly, however, is very light and flutters about joyfully.

“The cat tries to show the butterfly he can be like that too, but he can’t, because he’s too big. So he is sad, and falls asleep.

“He dreams quite wildly, until he wakes up and finds the butterfly again. He ends up playing with the butterfly.”

Max has been learning piano since the age of four at the Yahama Music School in Sutton Courtenay, where Max studies with teacher Lindsay McKenzie.

Max, who was born in Amsterdam, said he felt honoured to represent England and the Netherlands at the concert.

He added: “I have learnt many things at the school, such as improvisation and learning how to tell a story.”