Young string players at Skipton Music Centre

ASPIRING string players from Skipton Music Centre and Ermystead’s Grammar School have been involved in workshops with the Northern Chamber Orchestra.

led by violinist Louise Latham - the students, who are all members of senior ensembles at the music centre and the grammar school, will be able to demonstrate the fruits of their labour when they perform along with the Northern Chamber Orchestra at a concert at Ermystead's school on March 12th.

North Yorkshire has six music centres which are based in Skipton, Harrogate, Selby, Scarborough, Whitby and Northallerton and hold classes and rehearsals on Saturday mornings. They are part of North Yorkshire County Council's Music Service and have been working hard recently to attract young beginner musicians as well as those with more experience, in order to give children and young people greater musical experience outside of the classroom working with a range of musicians.

Skipton Music Centre has built up a rewarding relationship with the Northern Chamber Orchestra which has led to members of the orchestra holding a series of workshops for the town's up-and-coming young musicians.

County Councillor John Watson, North Yorkshire's executive member for schools said: "We are proud of our music centres and the wide-ranging opportunities they give young people outside of school to play music with different groups and to be tutored by professional musicians. We are grateful to the Northern Chamber Orchestra for its excellent role in developing high standards of musicianship in the young."

The Orchestra will be joined by pianist Ian Fountain to play one of Mozart's most beautiful piano concertos, No.17 in G major. At the age of nineteen Ian Fountain became the youngest winner of the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Masters Competition in Tel Aviv and has since performed all over the world receiving glowing reviews for his sensitive and accomplished playing.

The three pieces in the programme also include Mendelssohn's String Symphony No.13 and Schubert's Fifth Symphony.

Tickets are £12 and £8 for students and claimants, under 18s free.

Available from: NCO Box Office: 0161 247 2220 and Tourist Information Centre, 35 Coach Street, Skipton 01756 792809