WYO Visit to Glyndebourne Opera House – Summer 2007

Members of the WYO were invited to attend the “pre-dress” rehearsal of Verdi’s opera Macbeth at Glyndebourne Opera House near Lewes. The “pre-dress” is open only to friends of the cast, crew, orchestra and press photographers snapping away in preparation for newspaper articles following the first night performance. Our young musicians were able to watch the opera and then observe the Glyndebourne cast and London Philharmonic Orchestra putting the final touches to the approaching performances, under the baton of their principal conductor Vladimir Jurowski.

Taking the opportunity to visit the back-stage area and the orchestral pit, meet and quiz some of the LPO musicians and stroll around the stunning grounds and gardens of this famous opera house, WYO members were given an invaluable insight into this part of the music profession.
Right: Members of the LPO/Glyndebourne  Macbeth stage-band

London Philharmonic Orchestra Children’s Concert – Royal Festival Hall - November 2007

The Wessex Youth Orchestra added its own particular flair to the day’s proceedings when it gave a “pre” and “post-concert” performance at London’s Southbank Centre. The LPO concert theme was “Flights of Fantasy” and the WYO offered some “high-flying” music of it’s own including 633 Squadron, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines and ET!
Accompanied on this trip by our younger friends from the Centre for Wessex Young Musicians and family, the WYO party attended the LPO concert presented by Children’s TV presenter Chris Jarvis and were wowed by music from Star Wars, The Snowman and the opera – Flight. There’s nothing like starting the new season with a bang!

Flights of Fantasy – Lighthouse Poole – December 2007

Playing to an audience of more than 800 people, this show was shared by all the ensembles at the Centre for Wessex Young Musicians. Kindly sponsored by Colman, our Christmas show really took off with music by Frank Sinatra, RAF Marches, and an opera about a bat -Die Fledermaus, a polka about champagne, streamers and showers of confetti and of course the big man himself – good old Saint Nick!

Don Riddell Memorial Gala Concert – Lighthouse Poole - April 2008

The WYO’s Gala Concert took on a different role this year. It was a chance for members of the Wessex Youth Orchestra - past and present, to celebrate the work of and to say goodbye and thank you to Don Riddell, the orchestra’s founder and conductor for the last 37years. The WYO was joined for the evening by hundreds of former members both on the stage and in the audience.

The main work for the evening was Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony. Over the years the WYO had performed it twice under Don’s baton, and it seemed to be a piece that brought back most memories for our members. It was also necessary to have a piece that would work with such a large orchestra of 120 players!

It was an especially unique experience for our present day WYO. Joined by instrumental teachers and orchestral musicians working all over the UK and beyond, it was an incredible opportunity to learn from our guests – all along knowing that they too started in exactly the same place – the Wessex Youth Orchestra.

The concert was opened with Walton’s rousing Coronation March: Crown Imperial. The first half of the concert also featured three soloists (all former WYO members), Alison Farr – piano, Brenden Guy – clarinet and Jennifer Holt – violin. Performing one concerto movement each, the evening had a celebratory feel to it…

It gave everyone involved the opportunity to look back, share stories, laugh at photos and along with an audience of more than 1000 people, celebrate that which is the “Wessex Youth Orchestra”.

The Perfect Tribute Concert to Don
By Mike Marsh
(Bournemouth Echo – Tuesday April 8th 2008)

Wessex Youth Orchestra, Lighthouse, Poole

The Don Riddell Memorial Concert will live long in the memories of all who took part or sat captivated by the playing.

Shostakovich’s Symphony no. 5 was, by popular consent by many former WYO players (of whom there were some seventy sitting in’) the work to celebrate the selfless efforts of Don’s 38 year association with Poole College students.

His daughter Susanna Riddell has taken on the conductorship and this Dickinson Manser sponsored concert proved she can carry forward a proud tradition.

The Fifth drew tremendous playing from the huge orchestra, raw power concluding the first movement. Lighter, even mischievous grotesqueries in the Scherzo and a superbly sombre mood in the Largo with sustained pianissimo stillness.

The Finale’s coda played at half the usual terrifying speed, apparently representing the composer’s true intentions, certainly gave the lie to triumphant acclaim’.

Concerto movements in the first half included the opening to Grieg’s Piano Concerto in which Alison Farr found real emotional depth in the cadenza, the lovely central movement in Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with Brenden Guy and the fiery conclusion to Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1 with Jennifer Holt, all outstanding former members of the WYO.

Walton’s Crown Imperial opened this magnificent tribute to DonRiddell, MBE.

WYO Gala Photos by Sam Cook

“Best of British” Family Prom Concert – Lighthouse Poole – July 2008
Raising Funds for Julia’s House – Dorset’s Children’s Hospice

Following a pre-concert performance given by our younger friends in the Wessex Starter and Middle Strings and Wessex Youth Fanfare, the main show was like no other in the WYO’s history!

Hosted by Children’s TV presenter Chris Jarvis, the evening celebrated music with a distinctly British flavour! The theme offered a huge variety of programme choices such as Jupiter from the Planets Suite by Holst, La Calinda by Delius, Knightsbridge March by Coates and  of course it wouldn’t have been complete without Last Night of the Proms favourites like Jerusalem and Pomp and Circumstance March No.1. Members of the College Choral Society joined us for Parry’s “I Was Glad” – allowing the WYO a tiny peek into the wonderful world of choral/orchestral repertoire.

Perhaps the biggest opportunity of the evening was the chance to work with Chris Jarvis. Whilst the WYO regularly plays show/film music medleys and compilations, it is rare for the “Wessex” to be able to perform such music in its original “song” form. My Fair Lady’s famous songs “On The Street Where You Live” and “Get Me To The Church On Time” were met with rousing applause and as for the narration of “Captain Beaky and His Band” – well! Top of the Pops in 1980 – Captain Beaky and of course his foe - Hissing Sid were famous, and although familiar to many of our WYO parents’ generation(!), not so with our young musicians/members of the audience – until that evening! We hope we’ve done our bit to introduce the next generation to the delights of Captain Beaky!

It wasn’t just the people on stage that had to play in this concert! The audience became an orchestra themselves – giving a quality performance of Colonel Bogey… on combs and paper! Adopting the 007 pose when search lights landed on them during the James Bond medley and chasing after hundreds of red, white and blue balloons after they fell from the ceiling - we kept our audience busy!

The evening was the culmination of CWYM’s term of fundraising for Julia’s House – Dorset’s Children’s Hospice. Following a huge retiring collection from our wonderfully generous audience, we have been able to hand over a fantastic sum of £1,628 ensuring the Wessex Youth Orchestra’s long tradition of supporting local children’s charities, continues.

To everyone who helped and contributed to this fundraising – THANK YOU !!!