Concert Report July 2009
Bearsden and Milngavie Youth Orchestras
Music making has never seemed so popular amongst the young, with a range of high calibre national and international youth orchestras grabbing attention these days. However, underpinning these, are school and regional orchestras, which provide the bedrock of talent and training. East Dunbartonshire, in Scotland, is lucky to have one of these groups in the shape of the Bearsden and Milngavie Youth Orchestras (BMYO).
Formed in 1976, the BMYO is no longer just one orchestra, or even two, but four inter-dependent musical groupings, which allow children and young people ranging in age from 8 to 18 the chance to join when still at a relatively early stage in their musical career, developing and working through the different stages until they reach the highest level of the Senior Orchestra.
In March, the four groups again came to together to show parents and supporters what musical heights they can all achieve. The evening started with the Junior Orchestra – generally children in the later stages of primary school or early secondary school. Conducted by Mary-Lou Graham, they kicked us with a rousing rendition of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No 1. Movie themes were popular, with the Theme from the Thunderbirds, then onto a Viennese flavour with Strauss’s Thunder and Lightening Polka. Finally, we returned to the movies with an excellent performance of Eric Coates’s Dambusters March, taking me back to Saturday afternoons when I watched the film on the TV and tried to make goggles with my hands!!
After that, it was time to enjoy the offerings of the younger members of BMYO. The Wind Band are the newest of the groups, only forming in the Autumn of 2008 – but you would never guess that most of the members have only been playing for a couple of years at most. Encouraged and supported by their conductor, John Paul O’Hagan, the Wind Band took us from France, with Frere Jacques, to the wilds of Scotland, playing The Dark Island, then taking us all back to the 50s for Rock Around the Clock. With eight French horns, six trombones, six trumpets, as well as saxophones, flutes, clarinets and a tenor horn – this was a foot stomping version!
Staying with the younger members, we were then delighted as always by the String Orchestra, conducted by Marj Partridge. Again, we were transported back to the movies with a light and beautiful version of the Theme from Harry Potter, before they moved onto to give us Boysie and, finally, The Wreck of the Sloop John B. Once more, we had to remind ourselves that some of these children are only in Primary 5 and have been playing for a year or less.
The final contribution of the evening came from our Senior Orchestra. Conducted by Alan Pash, these players are generally all at secondary school. However, as always, they played with a professionalism and zeal that impressed everyone in the hall. The start was a cracker, with Shostakovich’s Overture Festivo, before they took a more sombre but beautiful turn, playing Elgar’s Nimrod. The last piece was modern – Ralph Ford’s Suite from Video Games Live. For many of us, this was a completely new experience. However, those of us of a certain age were soon picking up the familiar tones of Space Invaders and Pacman – certainly not what I had expected of the evening.
As the hall cleared at the end, it was clear from the many comments that everyone had been hugely impressed by the quality of the playing and the range of music that they had heard – all the more impressive when we considered that it had been brought together in about 10 weeks.
So, what now? Although school exams means that there is no third term, BMYO is certainly not dormant. First, was the big decision to go for a name change. Some of our members in the Junior Orchestra had suggested that being called “Junior” wasn’t great when you were at secondary school, but just not quite ready musically to move up to the Seniors – we agreed. So, in June, we proudly unveiled our new, corporate identities. While the String Orchestra remains that, our Wind Band became the Wind Ensemble, Junior Orchestra is now the Concert Orchestra and the Senior Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra. We feel this will give each group a unique identity, reflecting the type of music they play, and will encourage our members to stay with us, regardless of their age.
Some members supported a local charity event in the area by providing the music during
the evening; the Wind Ensemble and Concert Orchestra played an
open-air concert at Mugdock Park, north of Glasgow, in June. The weather was lovely,
friends and family brought picnics and we were able to publicise
our activities. The Symphony Orchestra will play at