Banff International Festival of Youth Orchestras
19 – 25th April 2000, Alberta, Canada

An MYO group photo at Lake Louise, Canada

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. This was the orchestra’s first trans-Atlantic tour, and the MYO was one of only two European orchestras to have been invited to attend this prestigious music festival.

During the week-long festival, MYO members took part in a great variety of activities, including masterclasses with renowned specialists from around the world, sight-reading sessions with participants from other countries, orchestral rehearsals with guest conductors, in addition to a public concert in its own right.

The orchestra was particularly pleased to work with the German conductor Patrick Strub (pictured right) who rehearsed Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in B minor (“Unfinished”) and Verdi’s Overture: Force of Destiny.

For its own public concert on 23rd April, the MYO performed the following programme:

• Borodin Prince Igor Overture
• Delius La Calinda (Koanga)
• Glazunov Saxophone Concerto (soloist: Sarah James)
• Walton Henry V Suite

Other highlights of the festival included two recitals given by the virtuoso Gary Karr, acclaimed by Time Magazine as “the world’s leading solo bassist”, and a trip to one of the gems of the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise (see top photo).

The Banff Centre’s magnificent dining hall, with its Rocky Mountains vista, presented an opportunity for various groups to give informal concerts at lunch time. An MYO string group organised some octets whilst the Horn section played a selection of quartets, including a work by James Langley. One of the most memorable performances was given by all the Double Bass players at the festival – never have so many double bassists been squeezed into such a small space!

An educational, rewarding and highly enjoyable time was had by all.