If you want to get youngsters interested in classical music, there are two golden rules: first, make it fun; and second, perform to an exceptionally high standard. Last Thursday, the Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra did both by the bucketful. And the audience, composed almost entirely of primary schoolchildren, loved it.

This schools’ concert was intended to educate as well as entertain, and there was an exceptionally slick introduction to the different instruments of the orchestra, with each section taking turns to play Frere Jacques. The children’s programmes came complete with pictures of all these different instruments, as well as the words of Frosty the Snowman, which they all sang along to with great gusto. Immediately afterwards, four children from the audience were invited to ‘guest conduct’ Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride, with some gentle guidance from regular conductor Dr John Traill, and earned themselves some encouraging applause.

But mostly this hour-long concert was about the Youth Orchestra, who impressed throughout with their technical maturity, energy and confidence. Borodin’s Polovstian Dances proved a dramatic opener, performed with appropriate zest and attack. Tchaikovsky’s 1812, performed in two parts at the beginning and end of the programme, was appropriately thrilling and stirring, with some particularly bold and exciting contributions from the percussion section.

Perhaps the most impressive performance was Saint-Saens’s haunting Dance Macabre — instantly recognisable now, of course, as the signature tune to BBC’s Jonathan Creek. This piece was played with immense feeling, fully capturing its dark, chilling character, and included a remarkably accomplished violin solo by Lizzie Mundell-Perkins.

This was an immensely enjoyable concert, in which these young players displayed such skill, commitment and discipline that it is inevitable that some will make their way on to the professional platform. Credit must also go to John Traill, who held everything together with a glorious blend of masterly control and good humour. Wonderful.