Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra

Young Musician of the Year Isaac Williams wowed the audience at his prize concerto concert when he launched the 2024 competition to find next year’s Gloucestershire winner. To follow in his footsteps click here for an ENTRY FORM.

The 19-year-old former Sir Thomas Rich’s School student gave a sensational performance of Mendelssohn’s famous Violin Concerto in E Minor with Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra, under conductor Glyn Oxley’s baton.

A capacity audience – including his family and former head teacher Matthew Morgan – filled Gloucester’s St Barnabas’ Church, where vicar the Rev Sarah Todd, a patron of GSO, came to the rescue when the original concert venue, Pittville Pump Room, had to close suddenly for safety reasons.

Isaac’s prize-winning year has seen him perform all over the county and since leaving school last summer, he has won a scholarship to Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where he is now studying with Carducci leader Matt Denton from Gloucestershire.

The concerto concert, which also featured Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite and Mozart’s ‘The Haffner’ Symphony saw £300 raised for the Gloucestershire Academy of Music’s Building Appeal. 

GSO’s principal clarinettist Katy Wenham had the audience spellbound at their Summer Concert when she gave a virtuosic performance of Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto. Her cadenza was faultless and her finale glissando perfect.

Hosted by GSO patron the Rev Sarah Todd at St Barnabas’ Church, Gloucester, the concert was conducted by musical director Glyn Oxley who kept the orchestra on track with this tricky, jazzy piece commissioned for Benny Goodman. There was a superb piano section performed by Chris Guild interweaving with harpist Cathy White, who also featured in Elizabeth Maconchy’s Overture ‘Proud Thames’ providing the watery feel of this coronation piece. The second half comprised Tchaikovsky’s popular Symphony No 5 giving horn player Graham Binns a chance to shine.

It was an outstanding concert all round – led by Marie Roberts-Watkins and featuring a 240-year-old violin bequeathed by the late Trevor Pleass, who stepped down from the orchestra at the age of 93. One of the youngest orchestra members, Natasha Ludlow, was playing his violin. The retiring collection was for the county-based Toucan for Children Play Therapy charity for youngsters with emotional issues.

WHEN 16-year-old Natasha Ludlow performs her first concert with Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra on Saturday 17 June, she will be playing a 240-year-old violin bequeathed by its oldest player.

The 18^th century violin, with its distinctive lion’s head scroll, was the pride and joy of Hucclecote pensioner Trevor Pleass, who finally hung up his violin bow at the ripe old age of 93 – after more than 25 years’ playing for the symphony orchestra. He passed away in April, aged 96.

In his will, he left the violin for the use of any music student who was in need of an instrument while studying at Gloucestershire Academy of Music. Grade 7 violinist, Natasha, who helps out with young players on Saturdays, was chosen. 

The Tewkesbury teenager says she is already smitten with the rich sound of the violin, which was presented to her and academy Principal Glyn Oxley at an orchestral rehearsal recently by Trevor’s daughters Sue Johnson and Jackie Rodgers.

Sue said: “It was lovely to see Natasha with Dad’s violin and to know that it will be used and enjoyed. It was Dad’s wish that it should be donated to GAM and Natasha is the perfect choice!” 

Her younger sister Jackie added: “Dad was given the violin by his father, who was conductor of the Llandaff Operatic Society in Cardiff. It’s a pleasure to see it handed down to Natasha. Quite an emotional moment.”

Natasha will be playing the violin at the orchestra’s summer concert at St Barnabas’ Church on Saturday 17 June at 7.30pm. The programme will include a 1953 coronation contender in Overture ‘Proud Thames’ by English composer Elizabeth Maconchy, as well as another work premiered in the 1950s – Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto performed by GSO clarinettist Katy Wenham. The finale is Tchaikovsky’s much-loved  Symphony No 5. Tickets are £12 adults, under-18s free are available on the door or in advance from https://www.eventbrite.com/…/summer-concert-tickets…