In a bid to cement North Shropshire Music’s proud partnership with the Shropshire Music Educational Hub, musicians from North Shropshire Training and Schools Orchestras took part in an inaugural massed orchestral event hosted by Shropshire Music Service at their Headquarters in Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury. The event was an opportunity and indeed a celebration of the wonderful music making that takes place right around the County of Shropshire from Oswestry in the North to Ludlow in the South.

Students from a variety of different ensembles came together to play a range of popular film music themes, such as Star Wars, James Bond, Harry Potter, Wallace and Gromit and Pirates of the Caribbean. The afternoon consisted of a number of full and sectional rehearsals followed by a short concert for friends and families of the repertoire that had been rehearsed during that afternoon. The full orchestral sound and colour was overwhelming: very exciting for all those playing and enthralling for the full capacity audience. Shouts of ‘bravo’ and ‘more’ were heard from a captivated audience. The orchestra responded by playing an encore the famous theme tune from ‘Wallace and Gromit’.

Founder of North Shropshire Music, and a sectional leader of the event, Helen Rayner commented: ‘this was a fantastic opportunity for all instrumental players within North Shropshire and the Welsh Marches to take part in a massed orchestra event with other area groups from around Shropshire. It is the next level up from playing with people on a weekly basis in your locality. It was a wonderful afternoon of music making which will hopefully become an annual event.’

Should anyone be interested in joining the North Shropshire Training or North Shropshire Schools Orchestras from September, they both rehearse on Monday evening at Moreton Hall. For further details please contact Helen Rayner at music@moretonhall.com