MYO Principal Horn Performs Concerto (December 2007)
Alison Bach, the MYO’s last Principal Horn, performed Oliver Knussen’s demanding Horn Concerto with the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra at the Artrix Centre, Bromsgrove, on Sunday 9th December 2007, with the MYO’s last Music Director Anthony Bradbury conducting.

MYO Reunion Lunch (September 2007)
Caroline and Richard Jephcott, a past Secretary and Trustee of the MYO respectively, kindly hosted a lunch for some past players/staff and friends at their home in Bromsgrove. It was wonderful to meet baby Sam Elliot, first son of Claire & Phil Dawes (see marriage announcement below – November 2003!), who was just 8 weeks old. The lunch was attended by no less that five past Secretaries!

Past Players of the MYO
Pictured from left to right are [back row] Michelle Garner (violin), Anna Jephcott (violin), Claire Dawes [nee Beckett] (horn) with son Sam, Olivia Goodborn (cello), Phil Dawes (horn), Janet Mountford [nee Lindsay] (cello), Anna Price [nee Downes] (violin/leader) with son Oscar, Claire Stevenson (cello), [front row] Lesley Leigh [nee Stormont] (violin), Anthony Bradbury (clarinet), Stephen Williams (viola), Beryl Langley (bassoon)


Past Staff of the MYO
Pictured from left to right are [back row] Richard Jephcott (Trustee), Caroline Jephcott (Secretary), Val Templeton (Secretary) with husband Don, Phil Garner (Secretary) with wife Marie, [front row] Lesley Leigh [nee Stormont] (Secretary), Anthony Bradbury (Conductor), Stephen Williams (Conductor/Chairman), Roy Stevenson (Secretary)

MYO’s 50th Anniversary
(October 2006)
At their concert in the Warwick Arts Centre on Sunday 29th October 2006, the occasion of what would have been the 50th Anniversary of the MYO was marked by the CBSO Youth Orchestra. Six members of the final MYO were playing in the concert (as members of the CBSO YO), and over 60 past players returned for the celebrations. For full details, click here.

The CBSO Youth Orchestra is born
(March 2004)
From the autumn of 2004, the MYO will form the nucleus of the exciting new CBSO Youth Orchestra. “The MYO can look back on 48 years of exciting music-making with great pride,” explains Stephen Williams, Chairman and former Music Director of the Midland Youth Orchestra. “These years have included memorable visits to many international festivals in Europe and across the Atlantic, personal contacts with major international figures in music, world premieres and, of course, that regular pursuit of seeking to perform the finest music as best we can. Blyth Major initially set up the MYO as a ‘nursery’ for the CBSO. Now, nearly half a century later, the creation of the CBSO Youth Orchestra will be a home-coming and yet another great step forward which Anthony and I welcome with relish.”

A Marriage of Horns! (November 2003)
Last year’s Principal Horn, Phil Dawes, has announced his engagement to Claire Beckett, another past Principal Horn who was a member of the MYO from 1991–6. Both players gave 5 years of loyal service to the MYO and continue to support the orchestra to this day. Everyone connected with the MYO wishes them well for their wedding next summer and every happiness for their future life together.

Pictured here are Phil (left), Claire (right), and the MYO’s Music Director Anthony Bradbury (centre).

Wind Quintet performs at ArtsFest
(September 2003)
A Wind Quintet made up of members from the woodwind and brass sections performed at the UK’s largest free arts festival, ArtsFest, in the Waterhall, Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham, on Saturday 13th September, to promote the work of the MYO. A considerably sized audience turned up to hear them, thanks to the festival’s publicity. The group performed a nicely balanced programme, including works by Franz Danzi and Sir Malcolm Arnold, along with a marvellous, ‘foot-tapping’ medley of MGM film tunes.

The MYO also ran an ‘Ask it!’ stall in Centenary Square where other members of the orchestra handed out leaflets and answered questions on the orchestra and its activities. The excellent weather made the weekend all the more enjoyable!

Patrick Strub visits England to direct MYO concert
(July 2003)
Following a very successful collaboration at the Banff International Festival of Youth Orchestras in 2000, the MYO invited the renowned German conductor Patrick Strub to direct a concert in Birmingham. A weekend of rehearsals led to an extremely successful concert in the Adrian Boult Hall on 13th July featuring composers from four European countries. As well as works by Wagner, Butterworth and Borodin, the orchestra performed Franck’s mighty Symphony in D minor.

Paul Daniel takes orchestral masterclass
(June 2003)
Paul Daniel, Music Director of English National Opera and Patron of the MYO, took his third orchestral masterclass on 28th June 2003 at Aston University. He worked on Wagner’s Meistersinger Prelude, Butterworth’s A Shropshire Lad and Borodin’s Polovstian Dances from Prince Igor. Once again his skill, enthusiasm and energy were inspirational to the MYO’s young players.

Premiere of new work by Andrew Downes is a family affair! (March 2003)
At its concert on 8th March, the MYO was delighted to premiere a new work for soprano and orchestra entitled A Celtic Rhapsody by local composer Andrew Downes, Head of Creative Studies at Birmingham Conservatoire.
The soprano soloist was Andrew’s daughter, Paula Downes, whilst his other daughter, Anna, was leader of the orchestra (Paula herself is a previous leader of the MYO). Andrew Downes describes his work as “a gift to the Midland Youth Orchestra”. In a recent interview with the Birmingham Post’s music critic, Christopher Morley, Andrew paid tribute to “the wonderful service this splendid ensemble provides. Every one of the dedicated team involved in running the orchestra gives freely of their time and considerable musical talents to create superb standards.” The links between the MYO and the Downes family go back further – to Andrew’s father, the well-known horn player Frank Downes, who coached many of the MYO’s brass players during the first decades of the MYO’s existence. Frank himself was also at the concert to witness the premiere. Pictured here with Music Director Anthony Bradbury are (from left to right): Anna Downes (Leader of the MYO), the composer, and Paula Downes (soprano soloist).

MYO String Octet performs at Three Choirs Festival, Worcester (August 2002)
The MYO String Octet took part in the world-famous Three Choirs Festival by playing in a concert organised as part of the festival’s fringe programme of events in Huntingdon Hall, Worcester. They shared the concert platform with the Toronto Children’s Chorus, hailed by Sir David Willcocks as “one of the finest children’s choirs in the world”. The Octet prepared a programme of music specially for the occasion, including Mozart’s Divertimento No. 1 and works by Bach, Joplin and Rodgers. Paul Vaughan, the Festival’s Vice Chairman, is hoping to involve the full orchestra in the 2005 Three Choirs Festival.

The Orchestra’s First Patron - PAUL DANIEL, Music Director, ENO (October 2001)
The MYO is delighted to be able to announce that PAUL DANIEL, Music Director of English National Opera, London, has accepted the orchestra’s invitation to become the very first Patron of the MYO.

Though the orchestra has had the honour of being directed by distinguished guest conductors (including Sir Simon Rattle) throughout its 45-year history, this is the first occasion that such a relationship has been formalised. Paul Daniel first gave a memorable Masterclass with the MYO in January 2000 when he directed the orchestra in Verdi’s Force of Destiny Overture and Walton’s suite to Henry V. Of his new role as Patron, Paul Daniel has insisted that it shall be a ‘hands-on’ appointment.

Four sisters perform with the MYO at the same time – and all are violinists!
(March 2001)
In what could perhaps be a first for a UK youth orchestra, four sisters played in the two most recent MYO concerts in March... and all as violinists. The oldest, Heather Cole, recently left the orchestra to go to university, but returned as a guest player. The three younger sisters – Alison, Stephanie and Vanessa – are all current members of the MYO. Pictured here with Music Director Anthony Bradbury are (from left to right): Stephanie (Principal Second Violin), Alison (First Violin), Heather (Guest First Violin) and Vanessa Cole (Second Violin).

Sir Malcolm Arnold attends concert in honour of his 80th Birthday (March 2001)
The MYO was delighted to welcome the world-renowned British composer, Sir Malcolm Arnold, to its concert on 24th March in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, to hear a performance of the composer’s Second Symphony. Pictured opposite are (from left to right): Stephen Williams (Chairman, MYO), Anthony Day (Sir Malcolm’s minder) and the composer.

MYO Chamber Groups in action (March 2001)
Two MYO chamber groups, a string octet and a horn quartet, played at Webbs Garden Centre, Bromsgrove, on 4th March to promote the MYO’s charity concert in aid of the NSPCC.

BBC Music Live (May 2000)
During May Bank Holiday, the MYO’s string octet and brass quintet played in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, taking part in BBC Music Live, a weekend of music events held throughout the UK supported by BBC radio and television. The weekend’s activites in Birmingham were broadcast on Radio WM and attended by many thousands of people from the Midlands.

Banff International Festival of Youth Orchestras, Alberta, Canada (April 2000)
In April 2000, the Midland Youth Orchestra attended the Banff International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Alberta, Canada, at the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. For a full report on the orchestra’s visit to Canada, please click here.

Paul Daniel takes orchestral masterclass
(January 2000)
The MYO was delighted to work with the world-renowned Music Director of English National Opera, Paul Daniel, at a masterclass in January. Paul Daniel rehearsed Verdi’s Force of Destiny Overture and selected movements from Walton’s Henry V Suite. Paul Daniel’s insight into both works was most revealing, and his musicianship and skill was inspirational to the orchestra's young players.

MYO establishes Guinness World Record!
(January 2000)
After a marathon 12 hours of continuous playing, the Midland Youth Orchestra established a new record for the world’s longest concert, a record which has since been ratified by Guinness World Records. The record attempt, which involved the performance of over 75 pieces of music with breaks of not more than 30 seconds in between each one, was an exhausting experience. In addition to over 65 musicians who took part, the event required a huge support team of parents, qualified medial staff and independent witnesses. The report here, which appeared in the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald on 3rd February 2000, sums up the atmosphere of the day:

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Record Breakers...

You've seen it on TV, or bought the book at Christmas, and perhaps been amused by the daft things people do to get themselves into the Guinness Book of Records. But for those making the record breaking attempts it is not always a laughing matter! On Saturday I joined the members of the Midland Youth Orchestra, their two conductors and a huge support system as they prepared to attempt a world playing record in room 708, Aston University, Birmingham.

Their aim was to play 12 hours of continuous music beginning and ending with full orchestral works, with the odd symphony, concerto, quartet and quintet in between. It was to be sight-reading throughout, no chance of rehearsal and no time to warm up. And as GBR rules state that there must he no more than 30 seconds between each piece the changeovers were sometimes hair-raising!

The whole performance had to be videoed, independent witnesses have to submit reports along with stewards’ records showing that no-one was out of the room for more than five minutes at a time - queues in the ladies’ loo was the biggest problem here! - to prove to the powers that be at GBR that the musicians did what they said they did. Medical staff had to be on hand, working no more than four-hour shifts, and two physiotherapists set up their couch amongst the instrument cases offering muscle relief for those in need.

By the time musical director Stephen Williams had given out all the notices the record-breaking attempt was running late, but at 11 minutes past 10am Anthony Bradbury raised his baton and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 filled the air - and indeed the whole building. For at this point examinees in the room below had a shock, and frantic staff at the university scurried up the stairs to ask the orchestra to keep the noise down! There really was no answer to that, other than to close the windows and hope for the best!

The programme was stunning, with Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto (soloist Richard Moore), Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, and Weber's Clarinet Concerto No. 1 (soloist Lucy Tugwell) all within the first 20 pieces. There was also Pachelbel’s Canon, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 and a good mix of minor pieces to feast upon with Mr Bradbury sharing the conducting with his assistant James Ross.

Spirits, and standards, remained reasonably high all day - wonderful stuff adrenaline! - though it has to be said that the opening of the Blue Danube Waltz (item 73 on the original running list) was poco dogioso to say the least. Never mind, the rules say the music has to be recognisable, not necessarily perfect.

The programme should have ended with the Thunder and Lightening Polka by Strauss, but enthusiasm had got the better of the orchestra and by 9.30pm they were well ahead of schedule - so as they started they finished, with Dvorak.

A masterly piece of tension building by Anthony Bradbury here, as at the end of the second movement he cancelled the third - leaving the supporting crew of parents believing that he did not know how far away from time he really was and they would lose the record by little more than a minute.

But, no, he teased the players through the slower part of the fourth movement, holding back as they longed to burst forward into the finale. Sighs of relief were audible as the clock showed 11 minutes past 10pm and the players were let loose into a finale which would have done Symphony Hall proud!

Report by Anne Tugwell
Stratford-upon-Avon Herald
3rd February 2000

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At the beginning of November 2000, the MYO held a reception for its President, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, in celebration of its world record achievement.

The orchestra’s official Guinness World Record certificate was also on display.