Penzance Youth String Orchestra
Welcome to our website!
We hope you find the information here interesting, and if you have any queries do please e-mail us via the contact link on each page.
Please click on 'Concerts programme' link above for details of our upcoming concerts.
PYSO news - Autumn 2017 Summertime in Penzance is always wonderful, even when it rains! June is the time for Golowan Festival and Mazey Day, and one of the highlights is the annual concert given by PYSO and our sibling Penzance Junior Strings. Then a few weeks later St. Just celebrates Lafrowda, another highlight for PYSO with our concert in the Methodist Chapel in St. Just. The Open Air Theatre is in full swing in Penlee Park, and for the 8th year running, PYSO were invited to the Music For Youth National Festival in Birmingham. This time with sister orchestras Truro Youth String Orchestra, Penzance Junior Strings and East Cornwall Youth String Orchestra, and some members of Truro College String Ensemble too – together making up a new Cornwall Youth String Orchestra. The orchestra of over 80 people filled the stage at Birmingham’s Town Hall and thoroughly enjoyed performing John Maxwell Geddes's ‘Soundposts’. We were very sorry to hear of his death in September – an inspiring man who has done so much for music education in Scotland and beyond. After the joy of the summer concerts comes the sorrow of saying farewell to some of our most experienced players as they move on, and this year we wish Iris, Eva, Amber, Angus, Charlotte and Joe all the very best in their new ventures. Now we are welcoming new players and starting rebuilding and rebalancing the ensemble – a period of work and discovery without any concerts now until December. On December 10th PYSO will be performing alongside ECYSO and the Dante String Quartet in an arrangement for string quartet and string orchestra of Arensky’s Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky, the 2nd movement of his wonderful quartet for violin, viola and 2 cellos. PYSO’s annual ‘Celebration and Reflection’ at St. Mary’s Church, Chapel Street, takes place a week later, on Sunday 17th December. Look out for other Christmas concerts around Penwith too. Do join us if you can! |
News from 12th November 2016
PYSO play CPE
Bach A major Cello Concerto with soloist Richard Lester...
part of a programme featuring the music of JS Bach
and his sons WF and CPE Bach
Concerts Penzance, St. John's Hall, Penzance
18th July 2016
PYSO play for Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall
On the first day
of the Duke and Duchess's three day tour of the South West,
the refurbishment of St John's Hall in Penzance was marked by the unveiling of a
plaque.
PYSO were very proud to be invited to entertain the Royal party.
More photos from this and our previous concerts and activities on our 'Photo Blog' page, and on our 'Video/Audio' page.
Penzance Youth String Orchestra was founded
in 2006, and its members are all resident in Penwith – the tip of the
South West peninsula in Britain. PYSO players, who are aged between 10
and 19 years old, have included representatives from many local schools
and colleges as well as the home education community. Its existence is
possible because of the dedication of several local teachers over many
years, a great deal of dedication from the 22 young players who meet at
least once a week to rehearse under the guidance of Tim Boulton, and the
support of
Music Cornwall. The orchestra have won
an enthusiastic and loyal following in Cornwall and beyond.
PYSO rehearse and perform without a
conductor, directed by Tim Boulton from the viola position. It is part of
the ethos of the group that the players should develop a wide range of
skills, including those that are transferable to many areas of life, such
as the ability to listen well, to be adaptable and flexible, to take
responsibility and lead, develop excellent organisational skills, and
strive to achieve personal best. Many people have commented on the great
discipline of PYSO performances, and this is achieved within an atmosphere
of individual expression and joy. They perform a wide range of music and
styles from the last 300 years until the present day.
Over the last few years PYSO have performed
at the Royal Albert Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham at the
Music For Youth National Festival and
Schools Proms, in the lunchtime series of
St. Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar
Square, London, at festivals in Cornwall including
Golowan,
Lafrowda,
Lizard, and
Polperro, and many other performances
including BBC Music Nation Day when PYSO performed alongside the South
West Camerata and members of the
BBC Concert Orchestra, and several
concerts of Music for Christmas. In March 2016 PYSO were awarded the
Youth Orchestra trophy at the
Cornwall Music Festival for the ninth
consecutive year, also winning awards for the highest mark for an ensemble
and for the most inspiring director/conductor. The orchestra also
participated in the
Music Cornwall celebratory event
Marvellous Music in Cornwall at
Hall For Cornwall and for the
Queen’s Jubilee and
Bandstand Marathon at
Morrab Gardens, Penzance.
In September 2013 PYSO were the proud recipients of a
Cornish Gorsedh Music Award.
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Penzance Youth String Orchestra is funded and supported by Cornwall Music Education Hub |
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We are also
grateful for support from Cornwall Community Foundation |
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Some of our members are students of South West Music School |
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Some of our members are supported by Awards for Young Musicians |
PYSO are pleased to be associated
with Humphry Davy School Penzance and thank the head and staff for their ongoing support |
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