Emerald tuba player Drew Ferguson to perform in the Australian Honours Ensemble Program

Playing the tuba, the year 12 student is preparing to perform alongside some of the best young musicians in the country after recently being selected for the Australian Honours Ensemble Program (AHEP).

Run by the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, AHEP connects the finest young musicians with a team of eminent international and national conductors in pursuit of musical excellence.

Drew, who has been playing the tuba for almost four years, said while he was hopeful of selection, the successful offer into AHEP had come as a surprise.

"I'm really excited to attend AHEP and am looking forward to learning all I can and performing with some great musicians," Mr Ferguson said.

"I had been selected for the State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) Queensland for the last three years.

"This year was the third time I had auditioned for AHEP, so achieving that goal is a dream come true."

He has also attended SHEP Rockhampton and SHEP Capricornia since he was in year 8 and was Highly Commended in last year's Central Highlands Eisteddfod Virtuoso.

Drew will now travel to Brisbane in the September school holidays where he will rehearse with the AHEP wind orchestra for four days, culminating with a performance at the Queensland Conservatorium Theatre.

Drew's parents say they're extremely proud of his musical talents.

His father is a director of Springsure Tractor and Header Service and his grandparents still run a grazing operation near Yuleba.

Drew's mum, Kerry-Lee Ferguson, said he is very committed at what he does and is looking forward to watching his musical career progress.

"Drew puts in a fair bit of work and he practices about three hours a day," she said.

"I grew up at Yuleba on a property there and we just didn't really have the opportunities to learn an instrument.

"We would have been musical if we'd been given opportunity, but neither my partner or I are great musicians at all."

Ms Ferguson said Drew's musical journey began with him playing the tenor trombone in Year 6.

"Towards the end of Year 8, his music teacher asked him if he would consider playing the tuba and it soon became his primary instrument. He also plays the bass trombone," she said.

"I told Drew he will have to pay for my first set of hearing aids, but we've got acreage, so he shouldn't be bugging the neighbours to much."

Drew is a member of his school's Wind Symphony, Senior Stage Band, Concert Band, Chamber Ensemble and the Choir. He also performs with the Emerald Town Band and Emerald Town Jazz Band.

"I'm extremely thankful for my music teachers, the Emerald Town Band musicians and my school band members who have taught me so much and provided many great performance opportunities," he said.

Drew is pursuing a career in music and will be auditioning for universities in the coming months.