IMHO, ISO is the #1 low light factor. DSLRs are unquestionably the the best option, but they cost $$$ and come with a lot of baggage (literally and figuratively).
The Canon Powershot SX50 HS looks great at ISO 1600, just Google it. It also has a 50X zoom.
This review isn't all cotton candy...
It's a little soon, but be careful enough to recognize when it is done. It's much easier to quit sooner rather than later. My girl was level 9, had won state, ranked 4th in the western region, and college was paid for. You don't want to go through that.