Youth orchestra to return for annual city concerts

17 August 2016

THE Ulster Youth Orchestra (UYO) returns with its annual concerts in Belfast and Derry later this month.

Joining this prestigious group of Northern Ireland’s finest young musicians are violinist Dáire Toal, from Saintfield, and clarinettist William Curran, from Downpatrick.

Dáire (17) has been playing the violin for 10 years and this is his first year with UYO.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “I am already a member of the amazing City of Belfast Youth Orchestra, but I can’t wait to experience a whole new level of playing and musicianship on this course.

“As well, I’m obviously delighted to be playing such outstanding repertoire as Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances and Gershwin’s Cuban Overture.

“UYO gives young people an amazing opportunity to work with real professionals working at the top of their game, who will really raise the standard of playing both as a group and as individuals. To be playing with Ioana Petcu-Colan [violin soloist] of the Ulster Orchestra in Saint-Saëns’ Havanaise is a massive opportunity for the orchestra and one which will hopefully bring an even higher standard and quality of playing.

“A number of my friends have done the UYO course before and have always described it as an amazing course both musically and socially, and I really can’t wait to get started.”

Twenty two-year-old William has finished the first year of his masters at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

“This summer is my fourth Ulster Youth Orchestra course and will be the second time I have worked with conductor Garry Walker,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to this year’s course as we are playing some very exciting and challenging repertoire.

“One of the main reasons I come back each year is the high standard of tuition we receive from the section tutors and conductor. I always come away from each course having learned so much from them. I think that the concerts this year’s orchestra will give will be great, there are so many fantastic players and everyone gets a chance to show off throughout the programme.”

Dáire and William will join the group of 90 young musicians who will attend an intensive 10 day residential course at Greenmount Agricultural College, Antrim, where they will be coached by a team of highly experienced professional tutors during the intensive 10-day residential course at Greenmount Agricultural College, Antrim.

Internationally acclaimed conductor Garry Walker returns to the Ulster Youth Orchestra podium for the fourth time, having first conducted the Orchestra in 2009.

This year’s dance themed programme opens with the vivacious Cuban Overture by Gershwin followed by Saint-Saëns’ Havanaise, Op.83, a virtuosic dance, performed by young Irish violinist, Ioana Petcu-Colan.

Tchaikovsky’s ever popular Excerpts from Swan Lake Suite, Op.20a complements the grand finale, Rachmaninov’s swansong, the epic Symphonic Dances, Op.45.

Public concerts will be given at the Guildhall, Derry-Londonderry on Friday 26 August and at the Ulster Hall, Belfast on Saturday 27 August.

Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said: “Congratulations to those young musicians who have won a coveted place to attend the Ulster Youth Orchestra’s annual summer course. Working with internationally acclaimed tutors and performing to live audiences in both Belfast and Derry, will develop their skills and confidence as orchestral musicians.

“I wish them every success as the Ulster Youth Orchestra celebrates 23 years of offering our most promising young talent the opportunity to study with some of the finest international conductors and musicians around.”

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