Worth blowing about: junior jazzgenius wins spot in Montreux at 11

Mathis Picard, who plays both piano and French horn, is poised to follow in the footsteps of chart-topping artists Jamie Cullum and Norah Jones after reaching the final of the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Mathis, from Newton Mearns, near Glasgow, beat off competition from adults up to three times his age to win a place in the event. "I can't say how well I will do because they are all much older than me," he said. "But I am going to give it a shot.

"Jazz is just so good because it gives you so many different emotions and you can have really good fun with it."

The Mearns Primary pupil, whose heroes include Quincy Jones and Keith Jarrett, started playing piano at four. He learned using the Suzuki method, which teaches playing by ear, and was hooked after two lessons. He stunned his parents and music teachers by showing that he could hear any piece of music and play it back almost immediately.

His teacher, Gerry Rossi, music course director at Strathclyde University, said his talent is "exceptional".

"Mathis had a real love for jazz and took to it naturally," Mr Rossi said. "I'm used to teaching pupils of 18 or 19. I'd never heard anyone of that age play jazz piano like that."

Mathis's mother, Lalao, 45, said her son had to work hard and practise for around two hours every day. "It is very uncommon for a child to play jazz, but he has a very special gift," she added.

"His friends are beginning to like it too and often come round and listen."

Mrs Picard and her husband Frederic, 45, an orthopaedic surgeon, who have four other children, hope to find a sponsor to help fund his place at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester.

Mathis follows in the footsteps of other young Scots who have made their mark in the international music world recently.

Scots violinist Nicola Benedetti shot to fame when she won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition in 2004. Last year, the 18-year-old, from West Kilbride signed a 1 million record deal and her eponymous debut album went straight into the classical charts at No 2.