Congleton Youth Orchestra has been spreading the love of music since 1994 but is struggling to recruit new members amidst a national drop in participation following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Set up in 1994, Congleton Youth Orchestra set out on a mission to provide young people with the skill of learning music and musical instruments. The Orchestra, which is a registered charity, has been supported by many different organisations including the Congleton Rotary Club and the Congleton Inclosure Trust that help provide the support needed for the running of the Orchestra. Led by the Music Director, the team of tutors help to provide everything that a young person will need to learn music.
Chairman of the Trustees, Andrew Adam, said, “The value of music is becoming more widely understood and since the Pandemic it has been proven to increase individual confidence and well-being. Congleton Youth Orchestra has over the years trained over 500 musicians giving them a lifetime experience which they will remember in the years to come.”
Congleton Youth Orchestra is unique for young people as it involves all the regular orchestral instruments that you would expect to see in an adult orchestra. These instruments include brass, strings, woodwind, and percussion (Drum kit and Timpani). Throughout the orchestra many different genres of music are played and gives an amazing sense of achievement after performing at the concerts that are held 3 times a year.
Congleton Youth Orchestra runs every Saturday morning term-time at the Trinity Methodist Church in Congleton. The Orchestra offers places for children and young adults till the age of 25. When learning an instrument, the Orchestra offers a training programme that a young person on an open day will go and try many different instruments that can be loaned to see what instrument is right for them. The Congleton Youth Orchestra has two different Orchestras from the Intermediates (grade 0-4 or playing equivalent) and the Seniors (grade 4 and above)
If you would like to find out more information the Congleton Youth Orchestra has a website, https://www.congleton-youth-orchestra.org/, with all the information about how to get involved.