Mark Eynon, the director of the Newbury Spring Festival, positively radiates enthusiasm for his job, even though he’s been picking the Newbury programmes for the past 12 years. But nothing pleases him more than finding a talented new name.

“I’m particularly excited about a young pianist called Benjamin Grosvenor,” he told me. “I discovered him on the radio, switching on quite by chance half way through a Liszt concerto. I was absolutely spellbound by him, to discover at the end that he was a 17-year-old British pianist. I thought I was listening to Pletnev or Horowitz or someone like that.”

Eynon was plainly not alone in his view, for it’s just been announced that Benjamin Grosvenor (pictured) will become the youngest ever First Night soloist when he plays at this year’s BBC Proms. His Newbury appearance is, Eynon explained, just part of a greater emphasis on young musicians. “We’ve always had a commitment to them in a lunchtime series, but this year I have integrated some of the outstanding ones into the main programme, beginning with Jennifer Pike, still a student at Oxford. There are further young British soloists I’ve given opportunities to in this way, for instance Marcus Farnsworth, winner of the Wigmore Song Competition, and clarinettist Julian Bliss, who appeared at the Queen’s 80th birthday Prom. He’s branched out into jazz, and will be bringing a combo to do a Benny Goodman tribute. They’re young in age, but by no means young in their musicality.”

Further youthful names tripped off Mark Eynon’s tongue: the 1607 Ensemble, Laudibus (“another name for the National Youth Chamber Choir”), Ballet Central, and Newbury’s very own Sheepdrove Piano Competition. Launched two years ago, the competition features young pianists from all over the world, who have been put forward by the eight major UK music colleges. There is a nice touch at the competition final — if you disagree with the panel of professional judges when they pick the winner, you don’t just grumble, you get the chance to vote for the audience prize.

They are intermixed with events featuring more established artists — Georgie Fame, Patricia Routledge and Emma Kirkby among them. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment presents a programme of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, while Jacqui Dankworth solos in a concert ranging from John Coltrane’s Africa/Brass to Porgy and Bess.

The Newbury Spring Festival runs from May 7-21. Details of the programme are on www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk Box office: 01635 522733.