Musical youngsters win prestigious contest

TWO North Somerset school students are preparing to join full symphony orchestras after triumphing in a prestigious music contest.

Gordano School pupil Rachel Hinchcliffe from Portishead and David Bossanyi from Backwell School auditioned alongside fellow musicians for the North Somerset Music Service Concerto competition. Both were winners selected by a panel of experts.

North Somerset Music Service manager Mark Trego said: “The Concerto Competition offers talented young musicians the chance to perform a concerto or similar work with a full symphony orchestra, an experience that few young musicians would otherwise have.”

Mr Trego said the standard of the contest was very high and while a number of entrants could have coped with the challenge of rehearsing and performing as a soloist with a full orchestra, only two could be selected.

Both talented young people have been rehearsing with orchestras on Saturday mornings, preparing to perform in concert on March 24 at All Saints Church in Weston.

Rachel, aged 16, will be performing the famous Concerto for Trumpet by Haydn with the North Somerset Sinfonia and David, also 16, will perform Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin with the North Somerset Concert Band.