On Saturday 23rd April, scholars and music students in Years 7-12 enjoyed a trip into London to see the NYO perform at the Southbank Centre. Advertised as ‘NYO Running Riot’, the concert was an enthusiastic and inspiring event.

Beginning with the percussionists amongst the audience improvising, no conductor and solos taken by different sections, the concert led on to a performance of Gabriela Ortiz’s ‘Teenek- Invenciones de Territorio’ inspired by Mexican rhythms. Following this was ‘Tabla Concerto’ by Dinuk Wijeratne mixing traditional Indian structures with drum and bass sounds and the concert ended with the A level set work ‘The Rite of Spring’ by Stravinsky. The encore was a Mambo, arranged especially for the orchestra.

An entertaining highlight for the younger scholars was the outfits and animals the orchestra donned for the encore!