The Wessex Youth Orchestra (WYO) 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 ...

based in the

Bournemouth Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the Southern ...

and

Poole Poole () is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. Since 1 April 2019, the local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Counc ...

areas of

Dorset, England Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , Dor ...

. Founded in 1971, the WYO is composed of approximately 100 student musicians from grades 6 to 8+. Three annual concerts are performed, mostly in the Wessex Hall at Poole's centre for the arts,

Lighthouse (Poole) Lighthouse is an arts centre in Poole, Dorset, England. According to Arts Council England it is the largest arts centre in the United Kingdom outside London.

. The orchestra has also performed nationally and internationally in festivals, tours and exchanges, and has been broadcast by the BBC. Auditions are required for admittance into the orchestra. Strings members require a grade 6 level, and woodwind, brass and percussion members require a grade 7 level. Rehearsals are held in St. Andrew's Hall, on the Constitution Hill site of the

Bournemouth and Poole College The Bournemouth and Poole College (BPC) is a well established educational provider which delivers further education, higher education and community based courses in Bournemouth and in Poole on the south coast of England. It is one of the lar ...

of further education.

History

The Wessex Youth Orchestra's first rehearsal took place back in January 1971, in Poole College main hall in North Road. Originally known as the Poole College Youth Orchestra, its membership consisted of a handful of violins, two cellos, many flutes and clarinets, one trumpet and one horn. Activities included choral singing, and there were two opera performances and a concert with dance and movement, as well as chamber music coaching. When the Bournemouth and Poole Colleges merged, the orchestra's name was changed to reflect the entire community of Wessex. The Orchestra was conducted from its foundation until 2007 by Don Riddell who was awarded the

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

for services to the Wessex Youth Orchestra in the Christmas honours list 1999. After his death 2007, his daughter, Susanna Riddell assumed the conductor duties.

Tours

In the Orchestra's 40-year history there have been a total of 15 tours in Europe. Twelve tours occurred before 1999 under the baton of Don Riddell. There were no tours until 2009, when the WYO traveled to the Black Forest under Susanna Riddell. In 2010, there was a brief tour to Cologne, where the Orchestra performed three concerts. In 2012, the WYO travelled to Austria for the Salzburg music festival.

Concerts

The WYO gives three main concerts a year: a Christmas show, a summer charity “Prom” and a main showcase performance, the Gala Concert, which is normally in March. Notable venues have included the

Bournemouth Winter Gardens Bournemouth Winter Gardens was a theatre located in Bournemouth, England. It was first constructed in 1875 as an exhibition centre, but reopened in 1893 as a popular classical music venue. It was demolished and replaced just prior to World War II ...

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a Grade I l ...

Birmingham Symphony Hall Symphony Hall is a 2,262 seat concert venue in Birmingham, England. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 12 June 1991, although it had been in use since 15 April 1991. It is home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and host ...

and the

Bournemouth International Centre The Bournemouth International Centre (commonly known as the BIC ) in Bournemouth, Dorset, was opened in September 1984. It is one of the largest venues for conferences, exhibitions, entertainment and events in southern England. Additionally, it ...

References

External links

Wessex Youth Orchestra's websiteWYO at Bournemouth and Poole College
{{authority control English youth orchestras Musical groups from Dorset Wessex 1971 establishments in England Musical groups established in 1971

History

Tours

Concerts

See also

References

External links