QE’s Symphony Orchestra has been selected to go through to this summer’s national finals of Music for Youth, the world’s largest youth music festival.
The orchestra, which performed Night on a Bare Mountain by Mussorgsky, were highly praised in the written report on their recorded entry. Their mentor commented on the “very good opening … good balance … very good flute sound … good technique in string section … very precise rhythmic playing in the whole orchestra … good dynamic changes … very good control and a very nice ending”.
Music for Youth, which is for groups of at least two people aged 21 and under, is organised by ABRSM, a national music assessment body. Competitors can either perform at regional festivals or submit recordings of their work, as QE has done. All those taking part are allocated a mentor who provides feedback on performances and how they can be improved.
QE’s Director of Music, Kieron Howe, says “Our category of the competition takes place in July at Birmingham Symphony Hall and performing there will be a great experience for all the boys concerned. They have done exceptionally well to get this far and will be up against much bigger county orchestras in the final.”
The School’s Vinson Quintet also received very positive feedback for their entry. The quintet performed a piece by Mozart entitled Clarinet Quintet and the boys were praised for their “nice phrasing and articulation … good clarinet melody … strong rhythms … good change of tempo … nice control and very good finish”.
“Both the Symphony Orchestra and the Vinson Quintet were acknowledged in the reports for their high level of musicality, which is very satisfying,” added Mr Howe.