Penzance Youth String Orchestra

Welcome to our website!
We hope you find the information here interesting, and if you have any queries do please e-mail us via the contact link on each page.

|
PYSO latest....December 2011...we are busy!!
Wednesday 7th December - Western Morning
News
You may have heard our
interview on Radio
Cornwall (4.15 p.m. Tuesday 6th December)
Saturday 10th December -
Christmas 'Celebration' concert at Zennor Church with Zennor Music Series
Look out for our new
'Christmas Music' CD. Available at our Zennor concert, and also when
we are busking in Penzance
Two new videos from 21st
November 2011 are on our
Audio/Video page |
|
Concerts Programme |
Penzance Youth String Orchestra was founded in September 2006, and its members are all resident in West Penwith. PYSO players, who are aged between 11 and 18 years old, have included representatives from all six local secondary schools and colleges, and three schools or colleges in Truro, as well as several local primaries. Its existence is possible because of the dedication of several local teachers over many years, a great deal of dedication from the 18 young players who meet at least once a week to rehearse under the guidance of Tim Boulton, and the support of Cornwall Learning Music. The orchestra have won an enthusiastic and loyal following in Penwith, where they perform regularly, as well as giving concerts increasingly further afield. PYSO rehearse and perform without a conductor, directed by Tim Boulton from the viola position. It is part of the ethos of the group that the players should develop a wide range of skills, including those that are transferable to many areas of life, such as the ability to listen well, to be adaptable and flexible, to take responsibility and lead, develop excellent organisational skills, and strive to achieve one’s personal best. Many people have commented on the great discipline of PYSO performances, and this is achieved within an atmosphere of individual expression and joy. They perform a wide range of music and styles from the last 300 years until the present day. PYSO have played several charity fundraising concerts amongst it’s many performances. These have included concerts in aid of; Medical Foundation for the care of victims of torture at Tremenheere Gardens; at Paul Church in aid of the church's Window Restoration Appeal; at St. Mary’s Church Penzance for a church charity supporting young victims of AIDS; at the Pride of Cornwall event at Eden Project in aid of the Cornwall Children’s Hospice. They have also performed three times at the Golowan Festival in Penzance, at the Penzance Catholic Church, at a reception given by the High Sheriff of Cornwall, and to Nick Clegg and Cornwall Liberal Democrats at their local conference in 2008. The ensemble have twice been winners of the Youth Orchestra section at Cornwall Music Festival, and in 2009 accompanied the Concerto class and were invited to perform in the Festival Gala Concert. The group made their first concerts outside Cornwall in August 2009, travelling to central Sweden for the first stage of an exchange with DalaViolinisterna, from Borlänge. The trip was very successful in all sorts of ways – you can read more and see some photos on this site. Plans in 2010 included a concert in Penzance with the Dante String Quartet, and the second part of the Swedish exchange, which was PYSO’s opportunity to repay some of the enormous generosity of our friends in Dalana. In 2011 PYSO are looking forward to following up their fantastic experience at the Music for Youth Festival at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2010 with participation in this year's MFY Festival, and also to a performance at St Martin in the Fields in London in November 2011. |
|
|
Visit to Sweden August 2009 |
||
|
Sacconi Quartet Masterclass February 12 2009 |
||
| Archive | ||
| Audio/Video | ||
| Photos | ||
| Contact (e-mail) |
![]() |
In July
2011
we attended the MFY National Festival of Music for Youth at City Hall
Birmingham.
|
|
PYSO News from 2010... |
||
|
Following the Music for Youth Festival in Birmingham
(see link below), on 9th November 2010 PYSO and Ross Pike played at the Royal Albert Hall at the Schools Proms. “I saw the Penzance Youth String Orchestra perform Vivaldi’s ‘Summer’ at the School’s Proms, which I thought was absolutely fantastic. In fact I am not sure I will ever be able to listen to the four seasons without remembering it with a smile on my face! The members of the Penzance Youth String Orchestra should be incredibly proud of their performance. Bravo!” Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, November 2010.
For photographs of the event please follow this link to our Photos page... |
||
![]() |
See photos & videos of the fantastic visit of our
Swedish friends Dalaviolinisterna on this new page! July 2010 |
![]() |
Please listen...to our recordings available on this website. PYSO play with the Dante Quartet, and with Ross Pike, May 2010. Go to our updated Audio/Video page... |
||
|
Penzance Youth String Orchestra is funded and supported by Music Cornwall |
![]() |
We are also
grateful for support from Cornwall Community Foundation |
|
|
Some of our members are students of South West Music School |
![]() |
![]() |
Some of our members are supported by Awards for Young Musicians |