Fireworks and Dynamite

Submitted by Rob Nash on 17 January 2010 : 3PM :

Last week I fought my way through the snow to go to the Victoria Hall in Hanley to hear the National Youth Orchestra's Winter Concert. The 160 strong orchestra performed a challenging programme under the title 'Fireworks and Dynamite' consisting of Rachmaninov's 'The Rock', Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. They were superb and showed the incredible standard of musicianship that, working with a dedicated professional team (the current Principal Conductor is Vasily Petrenko), they have reached. My only disappointment was the number of empty seats. All I can say is, if you get the chance to hear the National Youth Orchestra, or any of the other National Youth Music Organisations, go - you will not regret it!!