MORE than 50 members of Crediton Youth Orchestra (CYO) performed at its second Summer Concert at Crediton Congregational Church on Saturday, July 13.

With the orchestra spilling out beyond the stage into the main body of the hall, the audience was tightly packed into the remaining seating area, including the gallery above.

Lasting just over an hour, the early evening concert showcased this vibrant orchestra and also featured solos, duets and trios by individual members.

It was a satisfying and complete experience, wide-ranging in style, and passing through many moods.

The music chosen was an easy mix of classical favourites (Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” for example, with its building crescendo and accelerating tempo), items with a jazz or Latin flavour, and arrangements of pop tunes (George Ezra, “The White Stripes”, “Pink Floyd”, Neil Diamond) familiar to listeners of all ages.

The soloists and smaller ensembles ranged from traditional folk tunes and pop music to Handel and were well-rehearsed and confident.

The orchestra, under its inspirational founder and conductor Alison Golby, must now be the largest instrumental ensemble in the area.

Its full complement comprises around 70 young players, made up of students from local primary schools, plus secondary school pupils from QE and Chulmleigh.

In its first two years, CYO has grown in both confidence and ability.

CYO is prominent within the local community and is supported by a committee, by QE’s Music Department, local instrumental music teachers, and by parents.

It receives funding from Devon Music Education Hub and kind donations, and raises other funding by holding social events such as ceilidhs.

CYO is inclusive to young musicians of all ages and abilities and meaningfully involves beginners through to grade 8+ standard players, whose role includes mentoring the less experienced performers.

New members regularly join weekly after-school rehearsals at QE’s Western Road site on Wednesdays during term time. Anyone wishing to find out more can contact Alison by email: [email protected] .

The joy of making music together is at the heart of CYO’s ethos and this was evident at the concert.

With a children’s concert, any review is bound to be generous to young players who have put so much time and effort contributing to a valuable shared enterprise, but the real test is to produce a genuinely credible musical experience.

This concert was an effective demonstration of such real achievement.

Paul Vincent