EIGHT young Pembrokeshire musicians will be touring the country this summer with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. The short three-venue tour kicks off at St. David's Cathedral on Tuesday, August 5. Pembrokeshire County Council is sponsoring the concert and will be holding a chairman's reception beforehand. Other dates in the tour include concerts at St. David's Hall, the Town Hall, Birmingham, and St. Asaph, while the repertoire will include Mathias's vibrant Celtic Dances, Britten's ever-popular Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra and Vaughan Williams' 'London Symphony'. The 112-strong youth orchestra is made up of 112 of Wales' most talented young musicians and is conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes. Every year, the youngsters take part in an intensive residential course at the University of Wales, Lampeter, where they are tutored by some of the finest professional musicians in the UK. The initial rehearsal period concentrates on learning and developing key orchestral skills, as much as learning the concert repertoire, whilst the residential nature of the course gives students the opportunity to meet and socialise with peers from all areas of Wales. NYOW member Carys Bromby from Tenby said gaining a place in the orchestra had given her the opportunity to tour the UK as well as perform in Ischia, Italy, last year. "I have made some wonderful friends, played fantastic music I might never have played otherwise and have improved my orchestral playing no end! The hard work and concentration needed in the rehearsals is balanced by the energetic socialising!" she said. "I'm looking forward to the next course to spend more time with my friends, play more inspiring music and experience the buzz of performing to hundreds of people as part of one of the best youth orchestras in the world!" Although the orchestra has a history of touring, including visits to the European Youth Music Festival in Berlin and last year's visit to Ischia, it is spending this summer at home and concentrating efforts on producing a CD. The cathedral concert will start at 7.30 pm with tickets priced at £10 and £6. Concessions are available in advance by ringing the BBC National Orchestra of Wales' Audience Line on 08700 131812 or by calling into the St. David's Cathedral Bookshop. For more information about the concerts or the National Youth Orchestra of Wales in general, contact Matthew Jones on 029 2026 5047.
