Ben Muskett: Pianists receive scholarship in teacher's memory
Two young pianists have become the first recipients of a scholarship in memory of a music teacher who was killed in a car crash last year.
Ben Muskett, 25, was head of music at Llanidloes High School in Powys and and taught piano at the Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias centre in Caernarfon.
He died when his car hit a tree on the A470 near Dolgellau in January 2011.
Scholarships in his name have been awarded to Gwenno Morgan of Bangor and Cathryn Jenkins of Llanidloes.
The £100 prize was presented to 13-year-old Gwenno in July, while Cathryn, 15, received hers a few days ago.
Mr Muskett was killed when his car left the road as he was travelling back to his house in Llanidloes from his family's home in Bethesda.
A fund was set up following his death to finance the Ben Muskett Scholarship.
Meinir Llwyd, director of music at Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias, said: "It is our way of honouring Ben's passion for music and teaching children and young people.
"The aim is to be able to offer some support to promising young pianists for years to come."
Gwenno Morgan, who was taught by Mr Muskett, said she was happy.
"It means such a lot to me to be awarded this new scholarship, and for the very first time", she added.
Mr Muskett was a former pupil at Ysgol Friars, Bangor, and studied music at Manchester University before he trained to be a teacher at Bangor University.
Following his death, a spokesperson for Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias said he excelled at whatever he put his mind to and was passionate about music and teaching.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded at an inquest in October last year.