Burford Orchestra is looking for talented young musicians to start 2016 in style by competing for a chance to play solo in a concert backed by their full symphony orchestra. Nicola Lisle heads to west Oxfordshire to find out more

Are you a budding young musician of school age looking for an exciting challenge for the new year?

If so, Burford Orchestra wants to hear from you.

The orchestra, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2014, is launching a competition to find three youngsters to play one movement each from a concerto to be performed in a concert at Burford School on July 3.

“This is an incredible opportunity for three youngsters to play with a full symphony orchestra,” says Louise Woods, one of the orchestra’s French horn players.

“We are hoping we will be inundated with enquiries!”

Applications for the competition can be made via a submission form on the orchestra’s website. The closing date is Friday, January 8.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to perform a piece of music of their choice at an audition, which will be held in early February. One hopeful youngster who will be auditioning for one of the coveted solo spots is 15-year-old cellist Zoe Jenkins, whose mother, Helen, also plays French horn in the orchestra and is chair of the orchestra committee.

“I’m quite nervous,” Zoe admits.

“I think it’s good, though, because I know the orchestra, and I’m excited at the thought of playing a concerto with them. I also think it’s great that they’re giving young people the opportunity to do this.”

Zoe has been playing the cello since she was nine. What attracted her to the cello at such a young age?

“I did start learning the violin, but I didn’t really enjoy it,” she says. “Then one day in my primary school a cellist came and played to us, and I thought, I really, really want to play that instrument. So I moved to cello, and I just love playing it.

“I’ve finished all my grades now, so I just carry on playing for enjoyment and carry on playing in concerts.”

Zoe joined the Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra in September, but before that played for three years in the Oxfordshire Schools Symphony Orchestra.

So what will she be playing for her audition in the Burford Orchestra concerto competition? “I haven’t decided yet! I really like Saint-Saens, so I will probably play some Saint-Saens. I also like the Elgar Cello Concerto a lot.”

Burford Orchestra was founded as a community orchestra in 1954 with just 15 musicians. It now has about 50 players, of all ages and abilities, including talented youngsters, music graduates, music teachers, experienced amateurs and adults returning to playing after a break.

The concerto competition is very much in keeping with the orchestra’s mission to open up opportunities to as many people as possible.

New members are always welcome, especially strings and lower brass players, and there are no auditions.

“It’s open to anyone in the area who wants to come and play,” says conductor Andrew Gray. “Some of the woodwind sections we’ve got limited numbers so there’s a bit of a waiting list!

“It’s a really friendly bunch of people, so it’s good fun.”

Rehearsals are held in Witney on Monday evenings, and there are three concerts a year, either in Witney or Burford.

The orchestra’s next concert is at Witney Methodist Church on March 19, and is a French-themed programme including Poulenc Les Biches, Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Saint-Saens Symphony No.3 (Organ).

A Very Young Conductor

The concerto competition isn’t the only thing about Burford Orchestra that encourages young musicians.

Conductor Andrew Gray joined the orchestra while still a third year music student at Oxford. His first concert, in November 2012, was a mainly American-Russian programme, featuring music by Copland, MacCunn, Glinka, Tchaikovsky and Borodin.

“I’d conducted some university ensembles, then I heard this had become available and somebody suggested that I go for it,” he says. “So I auditioned, and started in September 2012.”

Andrew, who also plays oboe and piano, now lives in Reading and teaches music at a local secondary school, but enjoys his weekly trip into West Oxfordshire.

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“What I like about it is things like the repertoire are decided by the committee, because one of the aims of a community orchestra is that everyone has a say in what they play and how we do things.

“People are there because they want to be and they want to enjoy it.

“There’s a reasonable balance between working hard and enjoying the playing, and having social in the evenings as well.

“The orchestra’s very friendly, so it’s not high pressure. I don’t have to shout at anyone!”

Rediscovering the joy of concert playing

Burford Orchestra is always keen to encourage adults who played instruments in their youth to return to music-making.

French horn player Louise Woods took up playing again after a gap of 25 years and is loving it.

“I played the French horn as a child and was in the Essex Youth Orchestra and thoroughly enjoyed it,” she says.

“But when I went to university, although I took my horn with me I didn’t really play it. By the time I was about 20 that was the end of my horn playing. It was just in the attic in my parents’ house.”

When her daughter decided she wanted to play the French horn, Louise’s own interest was reignited.

She rescued her instrument from the attic and, encouraged by her daughter’s music teacher, who was then the conductor of Burford Orchestra, she plucked up the courage to go along to a rehearsal.

“I had to get the horn reconditioned because it was all sticky, then I started playing it and realised I remembered how to do it. I was very rusty, but I could remember all the fingering.

“Then I found my old music: horn concertos and that sort of thing, and it was fabulous.”

New players are always welcome to try out rehearsals before committing to membership, so if you have an old instrument in your attic that’s crying out to be played again, dust off the cobwebs and give it a whirl.

Where and when
Burford Orchestra Concerto Competition. Closing date: January 8
For further info and application form, visit burfordorchestra.org.uk