Aberdeen 2010
Thursday 5th August - 22.30pm
After an exhausting coach journey, overnight in a strange place, and two hour plus rehearsal, you’d think the players would have wilted, but not a bit of it! WYO really delivered a thrilling concert in Queen’s Cross Church, Aberdeen, in front of a very appreciative audience made up largely of the Friends of the Festival, thus about as knowledgeable as you could get. Noel had some very nice comments about the two pieces that really stopped the show – ‘Capriol Suite’ but most particularly the Theofanidis piece ‘Rainbow Body’, much the most modern thing in the WYO programme, exceptionally well played and which made a big impression. They really did play out of their collective skin! I was really proud to be there and part of the team. Abroath concert was in a newly modernised theatre, and Noel felt that some aspects went even better. Zoe Craven had a fine Steinway to play on, and if anything, parts of ‘Rainbow Body’ went even better.
Stuart Manger
Probus Award Winner 2010
We are delighted to announce that this year's probus award winner is Amy Redfern-Pattison, principal trumpet player. The trophy is presented to one player each year who has made the greatest contribution to the orchestra. Well done Amy, and thank you for your commitment and dedication to WYO over the years. 
We will miss you very much. 
THE NATIONAL YOU? ORCHESTRA
Would you like to be part of Britain’s biggest orchestra? Bringing together 160 outstanding teenage musicians, the National Youth Orchestra is now looking for fresh talent to embark on exciting new musical adventures in 2011. If you play an orchestral instrument – or if you’re a young composer – and would like to find out more, visit www.nyo.org.uk to find out what’s involved and begin an application. We’d love to hear from you, and it’s completely free to apply and audition. The deadline for applications is this week: Sunday 4 July 2010!
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Bagpacking at Morrison's raised a massive £724.59 
This is a great total, and if we double it from WYO reserves, that is £1,500 towards the Aberdeen trip. WELL DONE 
Thank you to all those you made the effort to turn up, especially since some of you were in the midst of exams. Sarah says, "You were a great team and a pleasure to be with."
Thanks also to Morrison's for making this bag pack possible.
Thanks to the Hadfield Trust
We are extremely grateful to the Hadfield Trust, who have just given us a grant towards the Feeder Groups. More news of this to follow.
Neighbourhood Forum
WYO are delighted and very gratfeul that our recent Neighbourhood Forum application was successful. We will have £826 to spend on itemised percussion instruments over the next nine or so months.
Aberdeen here we come...
WYO has been invited to take part in the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, in August. Conductor Noel Bertram said it was something of an honour. “It’s very unusual for an orchestra of this type to perform there,” he said. “It’s a very high-profile event and the standards are very high. This is magnificent news.” Details of the arrangements will be issued to orchestra members later. But the preliminary idea is for the WYO to share two concerts with an orchestra from Iceland, with each playing a half and perhaps combining for a joint piece at the end. Players will travel up on Monday August 2, perform once in Aberdeen itself and once at a venue elsewhere in the region, returning on Friday August 6. Organisers say the annual event is the world’s premier participatory youth arts festival, with up to 1,000 participants and more than 70 events, including dance, theatre, folk and jazz.
WYO help Flood Recovery
Our musicians recently took part in a 'Concert for Cumbria' organised by Cumbria County Council. Playing alongside celebrities Lesley Garrett and Brian Blessed, they performed in the Theatre by the Lake at Keswick under the baton of Tim Redmond. For write up see the CCC website. The concert raised around £12000 for flood victims and the organisations who helped in the recovery effort.
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Morrison's Bag Pack and Christmas Busk
In spite of the Blizzards and terrible travelling conditions which kept both players and customers from turning up, £440.92 was raised at the Morrison's Bagpack. The organiser, Sarah Davies has asked to congratulate all those who did manage to get in - whether player, parent or friend. Also thanks for your packing and merry busking and special thanks to all players for keeping in touch with her and doing their best to get there. Also of course, thanks to Morrisons and all the generous customers who supported WYO. Here's to better weather for the next one!
Paul Pfeuti Young Musician Trust
Are you a young person with an interest in music? The Paul Pfeuti Young Musician Trust is keen to support primary and secondary school age musicians in full time education. This includes students in Sixth Form and FE Colleges. The closing dates for the applications are: 1st January, 1st May & 1st September annually.
Link to Information, Guidelines and Application here. Use Back Button to return to this page.
New Feeder Groups announced
We are thrilled to be starting two new feeder groups on Strings and Trombone which will hopefully be up and running in the second half of term. We are holding a ‘Taster’ session for each in the first half of term and prospective players are encouraged to contact us as soon as possible to find out more. Click here for more information.
Two Probus Award Winners in 2009
This year's Probus Award was presented to two players who are both leaving the orchestra to pursue musical careers, Heppy Deane and Charlotte Curwen, respectively principal Flute and Bassoon. The trophy usually presented to one player each year who has made the greatest contribution to the orchestra, but this year the award had to be split between the two well deserving players. Well done Heppy and Charlotte, and thank you for your commitment and dedication to WYO over the years.
Did you see WYO in the Westmorland Gazette?
Morrison's Bag Pack raised a whopping £502
Well done and thank you to everyone who turned out on a very wet saturday to help with the bag pack. £502 is a great result for all your efforts.
A great week for WYO
WYO's young players have had a very successful couple of weeks, beginning with the 
Mary Wakefield Music Festival in which many of them took part in individual classes and in which the orchestra performed as a whole at the Secondary Schools' Concert on Friday. This was a fantastic night and they played wonderfully well.
Following this was the Fun Night at Castle Street, in which anyone and everyone came! The hall was packed to bursting with keen players wanting to feel what it is like to be a member of a successful orchestra, as well as parents wanting to know what they had in store in the years to come. It was a terrific evening and we hope that many (or all?) of these young musicians will want to return and be part of WYO in the future.
Thanks to the Committee for the new Hoodies...
... we love them!
Big THANK YOU to bag packers!
Thanks very much to all those players and parents who turned out to support the Bag Pack at Morrisons. This raised a massive £950 and will help to support the orchestra this year. Really, very well done!
Concert at QES – 29 November 2008
This splendid performance by WYO, the QES Folk Group and all who helped put the evening on, has already received well-deserved praise, and the Gazette review should follow in due course. The marathon of Film Music was a splendid treat, only improved by being able to see all players from the tiered seating.
AGM a success
This year's AGM at Castle Street on the 17th october was a great success. Apart from the Pimms and chocolate biscuits, the committee reported on another very successful year for the orchestra, including an increase in the number of players, a very successful 60th anniversary celebration and some fantastic input from parents and helpers. Thanks were extended to all those who have given their time voluntarily because WYO simply cannot exist without this support. At least 1,500 hours of voluntary time was given to the orchestra; if we were to buy in this help it would cost WYO an estimated minimum of £15,000 , ie approximately a third of the real cost of running WYO. We are very lucky indeed to have such valuable help.
This year, a new committee of ten were voted into post. Sadly we said goodbye to three committee members who have all worked hard for the orchestra and we wish them well.
WYO to appear in Cumbria Life
Cumbria Life's reporter and photographer came to the WYO rehearsal last friday (17th OCtober). They interviewed Noel and some of the players, and took photos of the rehearsal. We shall be appearing in the next edition of the 
Cumbria Life Magazine! AVAILABLE TO BUY from all good newsagents, including Smiths and Booths, week beginning 17th November 2008. 
Congratulations to Probus Award Winner
This year's Probus Award was presented to Gareth Brookfield, our departing orchestra leader. The trophy is presented to one player each year who has made the greatest contribution to the orchestra and Gareth is a well deserved winner. Well done Gareth, and thank you for your commitment and dedication to WYO over the years.
Thoughts from the Staff and Committee...
At the recent joint staff and committee meeting, it was agreed that this past year has been very successful and rewarding for WYO. Our player numbers went up to 57 and there has generally been a very good spirit amongst them. Players who had joined at the beginning of the year soon settled in and there is a feeling of cohesiveness within the orchestra. Members play well together, support each other and are aware of each other, and theyhave all worked very hard. It was agreed that they really raised their game for the 60th Concert itself and the results speak for themselves. Both Catherine Bott and John Kenny were very impressed with the orchestra and how they coped with the range of music performed at the 60th and both players and teachers should feel justly proud of a fantastic year.
'Diamond Do' for the Westmorland Youth Orchestra
Read what Adrian Mullen has to say about the orchestra after listening to rehearsals.
Noel on TV...
(that's Noel Bertram, not Edmunds, in case you were wondering.)
Bag Packing Success
A BIG thank you to Hawys Young and all the bag packers who turned up at ASDA on May 17th to raise money for WYO.
You raised a massive £815, which is terrific.
Thank you also to ASDA and their very generous shoppers for helping us to achieve this grand total.
AGM - “Music is the Art of the Possible”
Robin Orr, an ex-Chairman of the Mary Wakefield Festival Committee and a man who describes himself as a ‘village organist’, gamely stood in for the AGM guest speaker, Barry Sharkey, who had unfortunately lost his voice for the evening. Robin described WYO as “one of the jewels of the local music scene” and went on to talk about the importance of music in our lives. His theme was very much that music is the art of the possible. He described his own efforts to encourage young people to make music in Levens and how certain obstacles needed to be overcome before musicians are able to play; not least social commitments, personal ability and the expectations of others, but how wonderful it is when you can make the most of what you have and create a musical experience.
He went on to illustrate the triumph over adversity on a slightly different scale, describing the work of Heinrich Schutz, a German Composer who wrote at a time when the population had been decimated by plague and war. Gigantic works of the Venetian style which marked Schutz’s early period grew into a style that was simple and almost austere, to accommodate the lack of musicians.
Finally, Robin described the life of organist Douglas Fox, a remarkable man who was denied the chance of a career as a recitalist or cathedral organist when he lost his right arm in action while serving with the Gloucesters. He nevertheless taught himself to play the organ with left hand and pedals and played the Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand with the London Symphony Orchestra, a concert which was broadcast for the world to hear.
Clearly there is a message here for all of us, on a very personal level it is about doing what you can and not giving up in the quest to find what you really need. On a less personal level, it is about supporting your orchestra in whatever way you can to make it happen. WYO aims to get young people involved in making music – what is the future without it?
Oboe Group for beginners
A new Oboe group for beginners will be held at St Mary’s Primary, Kirkby Lonsdale on Wednesday’s at 4pm. All young oboeists (and potential oboeists) who would like to come along will be most welcome. Please contact David Boxford for further details about this group. 01539 560054.
New Players needed for 2008/2009
Some of our players have will be leaving the Orchestra this summer and we would like to fill their seats with new players. We are looking to recruit musicians for all sections of the orchestra so if you are a young musician then we want to hear from you.
Reasons why you should join the WYO:-
It’s fun!
You get to play your instrument
We do 3 public concerts a year at different venues
We play all kinds of music
You make new friends
We have a tuck shop and a chippy very nearby!
Teachers and helpers are very supportive and help you if you get stuck
It is an experience you will remember for the rest of your life.
If you are still not convinced, look at our past players pages and read about the life long benefits you feel having been a member of WYO!
Please make contact as soon as you can - see the "Joining WYO" on the left for contact numbers and an application form.