A PAIR of Port Glasgow High pupils are hitting the high notes after gaining a rare opportunity to become composers.

Head boy Kerr McLean will join Connor Bristow at the Royal Conservatoire on the coveted composition degree course.

The course is only available to between six and ten students a year.

Kerr said: "I am delighted to have secured the place I really wanted.

"I have progressed so much at at Port Glasgow High over the last six years and I feel really confident that I can continue to do well at the RCS.

"I’m excited about getting started.”

Music lovers will also be able to hear one of Kerr's pieces being performed at Inverclyde Council Spring Concert where he will be conducting from the rostrum.

The Telegraph already featured the talents of Connor earlier this month.

He writes his own music as well as playing piano, flute, bass guitar and saxophone.

As well as gaining a place at the Royal Conservatoire, he is a member of the West of Scotland Schools Concert Band and was one of four musicians to be selected to attend workshop sessions with Scottish composer Jay Capperauld.

Julie Ballantyne, principal teacher of music at the school, is thrilled that two of her charges are off to the Conservatoire.

She said: "Places to study composition at the Royal Conservatoire are incredibly difficult to secure.

"It is really competitive across the country and any music department that has one pupil securing this would be delighted.

"To have two in the one year speaks volumes for the talent we have here at Port Glasgow High School.

"We have other pupils awaiting confirmation of applications to other courses at RCS and we continue to support them to work towards their highest aspirations.”

Head teacher Stuart Clark described Connor and Kerr as 'fantastic ambassadors for the school'.

He added: "Like many of our senior pupils, they are ambitious, hard-working and they regularly give a great deal back to the school.

"I am delighted to see Connor and Kerr secure these prestigious places and I can’t wait to hear how they get on.”

The sixth-year students recently shone at Inverclyde Music Festival.

Kerr was awarded the Musician's Union Shield and Connor was presented with an Inverclyde Music Festival Scholarship.

The school's third-year-pupil Leah Heffernan won the Dorothy Scott Memorial Trophy, while fifth-year Mark Gammon won the JA Sloan Trophy.

Overall the school gained thirteen first places, fourteen second prizes, three trophies and a special scholarship award.

Three out of the five final concert performers were from Port High, with the other two performers coming from music school Douglas Academy.

Mr Clark said: "The Music Festival is an amazing cultural event right on our doorstep.

"I am proud of all the pupils who participated and delighted to especially congratulate the many pupils in Port High who were placed first, second and won trophies and special awards.

"To have three out of the five final concert spots was fantastic, and the fact the other two spots went to pupils from a specialist music school demonstrates how high the standard was.”