The Colne Valley Youth Orchestra is a

youth orchestra A youth orchestra is an orchestra made of Youth, young musicians, typically ranging from pre-teens or teenagers to those of Music school, conservatory age. Depending on the age range and selectiveness, they may serve different purposes. Orchest ...

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

, England. It was founded in 1981, and has been playing and performing in North Essex. It provides a non-auditioning classical music provider for young people aged ten to 19. Established by Nigel Hildreth, who continues to both conduct and run the administrative side of the orchestra, its patron was Sir

Malcolm Arnold Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold (21 October 1921 – 23 September 2006) was an English composer. His works feature music in many genres, including a cycle of nine symphonies, numerous concertos, concert works, chamber music, choral music and music ...

. The current honorary President of the orchestra is Damon Albarn.

General

The Colne Valley Training Orchestra includes children aged 7 to 13 who have passed an

ABRSM The ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) is an examination board and registered charity based in the United Kingdom. ABRSM is one of five examination boards accredited by Ofqual to award graded exams and diploma qualification ...

exam in their orchestral instrument. When they have advanced sufficiently, the CVTO members move up into the main orchestra, the youth orchestra. As a

, every musician in the CVYO is below the age of 19, with the youngest member being 10 years old. There are around 60 members in total. The standard of

performance A performance is an act of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. It is also defined as the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function. Management science In the work place ...

is high, with new players having achieved typically Grade 5 or 6

, and the orchestra frequently performs in public, with much money being raised for

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. The orchestra holds residential weekends twice a year, and also tours during the summer, at the end of July. Past tours have involved concerts in

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Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

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, the

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, and the

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. The orchestra has broadcast over

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Essex and appeared on German National Television on a show devoted to youth orchestras.

Repertoire

The orchestra's repertoire is varied, ranging from symphonic pieces to Baroque chamber pieces to modern film music and jazz. Recently, the orchestra has tackled the Unfinished Symphony (No. 8 in B minor) by

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

' Fantasy on English Folk Songs, the Jupiter Symphony by

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

, as well as the 'Raiders March' by

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Concerts

The orchestra plays in several concerts throughout the academic year, culminating in a Gala Concert when the entire orchestra performs the whole of its repertoire as a formal evening, which is the older members' last event. Other staple concerts include the Teddy Bears' Picnic in late January/early February, held in Colchester's Moot Hall, a Strawberry Tea concert in late June in which the CVYO and the training orchestra play together; the Music in Miniature concert in which a number of chamber items are often performed and in recent years the orchestra has been asked to provide entertainment for Colchester's Oyster Feast.

Conductors

Nigel Hildreth The Colne Valley Youth Orchestra is a youth orchestra in Essex, England. It was founded in 1981, and has been playing and performing in North Essex. It provides a non-auditioning classical music provider for young people aged ten to 19. Establish ...

, the Musical Director, is also Head of Performing Arts at the

Colchester Sixth Form College The Sixth Form College, Colchester is a sixth form college in Colchester, England. Established in 1987, it provides further education in the north Essex area. History The college is located on the former site of the Gilberd School. Recently con ...

. He founded the CVYO orchestra, and is helped by a committee of parents. He studied at the

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, and has been teaching music in Essex for 25 years. He is known also for his compositions, including three symphonies, two concertos, as well as numerous chamber pieces, and he has also arranged many pieces for performance by the CVYO. In 1996 he was presented with the 'Arts For All' award for his service to the town of Colchester. The Queen awarded him an MBE for services to music education in 2012. The current assistant musical director is Jonathan Abbott.

External links

*
Colchester Sixth Form CollegeList of UK Orchestras

General

Repertoire

Concerts

Conductors

External links

See also