This year has been a fantastic one for the West Kent Youth Orchestra.
Since reopening in summer 2021, the WKYO has grown from strength to strength along with the Music Centre it belongs to. Every week we’ve seen new members attending to learn, play and develop their skills, and we’ve loved welcoming each new addition.
The winter term culminated in a fantastic performance in early December. While we couldn’t have an audience there, we captured the event in images and film for all to enjoy!
The WKYO’s musical leader Benedict Collins-Rice is here to tell you all about it…
“Despite all the obvious current difficulties associated with putting on large-scale music-making, I am absolutely delighted that WKYO continues to go from strength to strength. The orchestra has grown to the largest I have known it (just short of 50 members) and with a growing reputation for quality music-making and a warm welcome continues to recruit.
This positive team ethos has escalated the speed at which we are able to work – to the point where we are able to tackle challenging and rewarding repertoire even when COVID occasionally causes isolations.”
“The positive attitude, musical joy, and all-round resilience on display in our end of term performance of Beethoven 7 was something everyone should be very proud of. We also learned Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, alongside festive favourites and a fanfare by Joan Tower. This lays a great foundation for the rightly popular Dvorak 9 we start next term.
With many thanks to Steph, Maria and all the team who keep enabling WKYO’s growth and development, and best wishes to all for Christmas.
– Benedict ”
Thank you so much to all the members of WKYO, and all the team involved! Please enjoy the full performance of their concert below. We look forward to making more music in 2022!
If you want to find out more about the WKYO, check out its webpage here.
