Suffolk Youth Orchestra

The flagship of Suffolk County Council's extensive programme of youth music opportunities, the Suffolk Youth Orchestra (SYO) is a full symphony orchestra of over 90 players, all aged between 13 and 21 years . Conducted by maestro Phillip Shaw OBE from 1987 to 2018, the former County Adviser for Music. It is currently under the helm of David Stowe and Vince Taber.

As well as appearing in prestigious venues at home, and giving annual performances at the Snape Proms, SYO have toured extensively throughout Europe. They also provided the orchestral accompaniment for the National Youth Music Theatre's Tour of 'Creation'. SYO was one of only seven British youth orchestras selected to participate in the Masterprize Dearfield Education Programme, part of Masterprize 2001 - the world's leading composing competition, in association with the London Symphony Orchestra. They also presented a 'Prom in the Park' in the Abbey Gardens, Bury St. Edmunds, in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip on the occasion of the Royal Golden Jubilee visit to Suffolk, and performed Saint-Saëns' 'Organ' Symphony at a concert attended by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, at St. Edmundsbury Cathedral in celebration of the completion of the new cathedral tower. In December 2007 the orchestra led the musical proceedings at BBC Radio Suffolk's Children in Need Carol Concert in Snape Maltings Concert Hall, which was subsequently broadcast across the region on Christmas Day.

In 2000 the ensemble was en route to their hotel near Paris when the building was struck by a Concorde aircraft.[1]

Performances

Every summer the orchestra embarks upon a week-long tour to continental Europe. Locations have included: Poland, including a concert at Oświęcim (Auschwitz);[2] Prague; Barcelona and the Costa Dorada, Spain; Strasbourg; Tuscany, Italy;[3] the Castile and León region of Spain,[4] Hungary, Eastern Germany, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Belgium.

The Suffolk Youth Orchestra mainly perform at Snape Maltings Concert Hall.

One of the ensemble's most significant performances to date is the providing the orchestra for two performances of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem in April 2013, as part of the celebrations of the centenary of the Suffolk composer's birth. Recently they have also taken part in the 100 performances of the Battle of the Somme by Laura Rossi, in commemoration of the 100 year anniversary, in April 2017.

References
  1. "Concorde Crash: Escape - Young British musicians going to hotel". The Independent. 26 July 2000. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
  2. "Symfonie u Robotnika / OŚWIĘCIM. Koncert brytyjskiej orkiestry". Gazeta Wyborcza. 30 July 1998. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
  3. "Il Diacetum Festival 2006". Comunicati.net. 13 July 2006. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
  4. "Música, danza y teatro en la calle". El Mundo. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
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