He grew up in one of the most remote islands in Europe, a young boy who pined to play the cool sounds of the saxophone but was given a classical trombone.
However, handed the less glamorous instrument, the young Davur Juul Magnussen accepted his lot and went on to become one of the best players of his generation.
Now the 22-year-old is to be the youngest member of Scotland's national orchestra: so young, indeed, that he still has two years of his music degree to complete at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Mr Magnussen has been appointed to one of the most prestigious positions in the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's brass section, that of principal trombone, taking over the position from one of his teachers at the RSAMD, Lance Green, who has stepped down.
The young student musician, from the Faroe Islands' capital, Torshavn, is now looking forward to "eating proper food instead of baked beans all the time" in his new full-time post, which he will take up in August.
He will join a new generation of musicians in the RSNO that includes Katherine Bryan, the principal flute, who is 26; Simon Lowdon, the principal of percussion, who is 28; and Elita Bungard, the assistant principal on second violin, also 28. Another new principal, 25-year-old French oboist Emmanuel Laville, will join the orchestra in November.
Mr Magnussen, born in 1986, thought his time as a trialist at the RSNO was up when he was called into the office of Stephane Deneve, the music director of the orchestra.
"It was after a day of rehearsal and I was very nervous. He went through my time in the orchestra and some of the mistakes I had made: I thought I was being kicked out," he said last night, speaking from Torshavn.
"But then he told me I had the job: it was like going from hell to heaven in less than a minute, it was an amazing feeling. I am delighted but I am also aware it is a great responsibility and it is an honour to be given that responsibility."
Stephane Deneve said: "It is vital for the future of the RSNO that we recruit the very best musicians - so I'm absolutely thrilled about the appointments of Davur Juul Magnussen and Emmanuel Laville."
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