EDINBURGH YOUTH ORCHESTRA **** ST MARY'S METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL

By SUSAN NICKALLS
THE last of the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra's Spring concerts drew a capacity audience to hear a varied and ambitious programme which highlighted the considerable abilities of these young musicians.
Close to 100 players delivered a powerful and well-paced performance of Stravinsky's The Firebird: Ballet Suite. At full-strength the EYO are a force to be reckoned with and it was only in some of the more exposed areas that the occasional weakness was to be found.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, Julian Lloyd Webber, Marjory Dougal, the Butterworth family and all involved with creating what can only be described as the most moving and enjoyable musical concert that I have attended in a very long time. The 3 concerts that have taken place to help raise funds for the charity has being an overwhelming experience. Over £1,000 was raised due to the hard work and dedication from all involved and these funds will help continue to fund the clinicians and scientists that seek a treatment or cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Funds raised from events like this not only helps the hopes of patients with Duchenne but also helps to raise the awareness of this devastating muscle wasting condition. As a father of a son with Duchenne, and as Regional Advocate for Scotland for Action Duchenne, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for what you have done. Dean Widd

Edinburgh Youth Orchestra **** St Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral

Date: 16 April 2009
By SUSAN NICKALLS
THE last of the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra's Spring concerts drew a capacity audience to hear a varied and ambitious programme which highlighted the considerable abilities of these young musicians.
Close to 100 players delivered a powerful and well-paced performance of Stravinsky's The Firebird: Ballet Suite. At full-strength the EYO are a force to be reckoned with and it was only in some of the more exposed areas that the occasional weakness was to be found.

In Khachaturian's Adagio from Spartacus, the laid-back rhythms often came adrift although the string sound was solid throughout. Prokofiev's musical tale for children, Peter and the Wolf, is popular with audiences of all ages, and the EYO, with narrator Julian Lloyd Webber, gave an animated and often humorous performance. The soloists, who all played superbly, wore hats to indicate their particular character, with conductor En Sao entering into the spirit of things by wearing a wolf hat.

By even the most exalted standards the concert given on Monday by the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra was first class in all departments.

They began with the well-known Adagio from Khachaturian’s Ballet Spartacus. Immediately the confidence of the violins struck one, then the superb sound of the oboe, clarinet and flute solos. Working with these, conductor En Shao whipped up a tremendous, emotional, colourful climax.

Next came Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf with Julian Lloyd Webber as narrator. As a nice touch the winds who represent the characters had masks on top of their heads: bird, duck, cat, wolf as one goes down the score. The piece was finely played and characterized. Conductor En Shao got in on the act when the wolf was captured by the tail, shaking the tails of his white tie and tails at Julian Lloyd Webber. It delighted the children in the audience, including the three in front of me who conducted and danced in their seats.

Lloyd Webber set to add another string to his bow

IN TUNE: Julian Lloyd Webber, younger brother of Andrew Lloyd Webber, is to narrate the new production of Peter and the Wolf

By LAURA CUMMINGS

WORLD-RENOWNED cellist Julian Lloyd Webber is set to become a narrator for the first time ever – as part of Edinburgh Youth Orchestra's spring concerts.
Julian, the younger brother of Andrew Lloyd Webber, is expected to thrill audiences as the narrator in Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, which was written in 1936 as a musical story to introduce children to the instruments of the orchestra.

The cello soloist will also perform in a new arrangement of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' Farewell to Stromness.

The Edinburgh concert, which is part of the Orchestra's Scottish tour, takes place in St Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral, Broughton Street, on Tuesday, April 14.

We are delighted to announce that John Wallace OBE, Principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, is now a Patron of the EYO.

Edinburgh Youth Orchestra String Ensemble Comment Miranda Heggie

Location: Greyfriars Kirk
Star rating: ****

Covering new ground in several different ways, the first Fringe performance of the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra String Ensemble also featured the Scottish premiere of a new work for cello and strings by Howard Goodall, And the Bridge is Love. As both director and soloist, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber already has a long relationship with the ensemble, conducting them with knowing precision, as well displaying his own talents as a soloist.

A fascinating programme also included Haydn's Cello Concerto in C, a piece which remained undiscovered for almost 200 years until 1961. Played with refined composure, the fine balance between ensemble and soloist was achieved.

As conductor, Lloyd Webber also directed a work by his father, William Lloyd Webber, which was performed with zeal by the ensemble, bringing rich syrupy sounds from the cellos and ethereal tones from the violins. A select elite from a talented group of young musicians, Edinburgh Youth Orchestra String Ensemble promises to be a group to watch in the ever-expanding youth music scene in Scotland.

Julian Lloyd Webber and the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra String Ensemble
Source: The List (Issue 610)
Date: 14 August 2008
Written by: Carol Main

Five firsts at the Fringe for Edinburgh Youth Orchestra which breaks fresh ground this year with its new string ensemble of leading players, both past and present. With cellist Julian Lloyd Webber as director and soloist, its Fringe debut also features a new piece of music for cello and strings by Classic FM’s latest signing, Howard Goodall, perhaps best known for his title music for TV shows including Blackadder and The Vicar of Dibley.

National Concert Hall Fundraiser: Edinburgh Youth Orchestra.
On July 12th in the NCH a fantastic concert was performed by the EYO with proceeds of this and their concert in Limerick being donated to the CRC.

What a superb evening was enjoyed by all in attendance. Soloist, Sophie Cashell, from Balbriggan in Co. Dublin brought the house down and received a standing ovation. Her performance of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No 1 in B flat minor was outstanding and it was very obvious that she was a worthy winner of the 2007 BBC Classical Star Competition. The orchestra was conducted by Garry Walker and performed Sir Malcolm Arnold's Irish Dances, Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, and the BBC Classical Star Runner - Up Karen Geoghegan gave a wonderful perfomance of Andante & Hungarian Rondo for Bassoon. HM Ambassador David Reddaway attended the evening and at a reception a cheque was presented by Ms. Marjory Dougal (General Manager) to CRC Projects Manager, Jane Mitchell, CRC School Principal, Ann Jackson, & CRC School Board of Management Representative, Greg Elliott. The CRC are extremely grateful to the EYO for their support of the Clinic which has now forged great links with our new friends in Scotland.

Review: Edinburgh Youth Orchestra at Perth Concert Hall
Jul 15 2008 by Peter Rutterford

EDINBURGH Youth Orchestra returned to Perth Concert Hall as part of their 2008 Summer Tour, which this year also visits Dublin and Limerick.

Their programme of popular works featured two superb young soloists and was conducted once again by their mentor Garry Walker.

The visit to Ireland was no doubt why they opened their concert with Malcolm Arnold’s Four Irish Dances. These are the shortest of Arnold’s sets of dances based on the British Isles and perhaps lack some of the sparkle and orchestral fireworks of the others. The Dances combine Celtic rhythms in the jaunty first and last dances, which contrast with the more melancholic melodies of the second and third. The most developed dance is the final jig, which gave the brass section in particular a chance to shine, but the whole orchestra played with enthusiasm and vigour and demonstrated their technical ability as well as their excellent tonal qualities.