FIVE skilled young Solihull musicians have been offered places to perform with the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain.
The Solihull School pupils include Gemma Winfield who joins Katy Baker, a member of the top organisation for the last seven years, to play clarinet in the main orchestra. Yichen Pan is part of the Under 13 orchestra on cello and Ziqi Ding and Viraaj Parmar play with the Under 11’s on violin and clarinet respectively.
Tim Kermode, director of Music at the Independent day school on Warwick Road, said: “We are absolutely thrilled. They are all magnificently engaged young musicians and thoroughly deserve being part of what, I am sure, will be a wonderful experience. The pupils put a considerable amount of time and dedication into their instrumental lessons and individual practice, and have a wonderful sense of inner musicianship that lets their instrument really sing.”
The NCO is the only orchestral learning programme for younger children across the UK. It give more than 700 children aged 7 – 14 an early experience of the joy of orchestral playing, and helps them to realise their full creative potential.
Young musicians benefit from one-off experiences, regular rehearsals and residency activities with regional performances in Birmingham. Their tutors are more than 100 of the UK’s finest instrumental teachers and professional orchestral musicians.
Katy and Viraaj are also celebrating a second success having both been accepted into the National Schools Symphony Orchestra. Katy, on her cello, will perform in the Philharmonic orchestra and Viraaj will play clarinet in the NSSO Academy Orchestra.
