SINGING student Jonathan Pugsley is hitting the high notes to pay his way through music college.

Jonathan, 25, from Broadmayne, needs to raise £10,000 to enrol for a professional performers' diploma at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

The qualification will enable the former Broadmayne Primary School, St Osmunds Middle School and Thomas Hardye School pupil to launch an international opera singing career.

He will also hone his vocal technique, language and movement, before accepting a job in Hanover or Zurich.

Rising star Jonathan has already scooped a bachelor of music degree with honours at the college, and will perform in Dorchester to showcase his talents and raise some money for further fees.

The bass baritone said: "I am putting on my own free concert at St Mary's Church in Edward Road on Saturday, August 30, at 7.30pm.

"Donations will be welcomed at the end, but even you can't give anything, come along and listen. I will perform an overview of what I do, it is a real mixture with something for everyone ranging from Mozart to Michelangelo's poetry set to music."

Jonathan started his singing career at the age of eight with the Broadmayne village boys' choir, and he took singing lessons after his voice broke.

He ditched plans for a career as a forestry warden after he started winning music competitions and is currently auditioning for the lead role in The Rake's Progress by Stravinsky at his college, in an annual showcase for talent scouts.

Jonathan, who has just returned from five weeks of singing in Italy, has excited a lot of interest from opera houses across Europe because of his young age - bass baritones sing more mature parts like fathers, priests and kings.

During the concert, he will be accompanied by his pianist Sarah Murphy, with whom he has worked for the past four years.

Jonathan said: "My ambition is to make a career out of doing what I love doing - singing, and ultimately I would love to sing at Covent Garden.

"But that's long way off," he added modestly.