Lyme Regis: Woodroffe school student gains place in National Youth Orchestra (From Thisisdorset)

Lyme Regis: Woodroffe school student gains place in National Youth Orchestra

10:00am Saturday 11th February 2012 in Latest By James Tourgout

TALENTED Woodroffe pupil Andrew Humph-reys will be involved in the Olympic celebrations after gaining a place in the National Youth Orchestra.

The 15-year-old has secured a position as a French Horn player in the elite group after a gruelling series of auditions.

Now he will be among the 165-strong orchestra when it performs a newly commissioned work by Anna Meredith for the Olympics called Hands Free and will also feature in The Proms 2012 programme during the summer.

Year 11 pupil Andrew said: “Its amazing. I would honestly recommend this to anyone.

“I love the sense of community and the fantastically high standard of musicianship.

“I see this as a stepping stone to a future studying at a Music Conservatoire, with my ultimate aim to play in the London Symphony Orchestra or the London Philharmonic.”

Andrew is one of ten French Horn players in the orchestra. He had to battle through a gruelling set of auditions in September 2011 to claim a spot in the acclaimed orchestra.

“My first audition was in Bristol in early September last year.

“I had to play two pieces, complete some sight reading and an aural test in front of a National Youth Orchestra representative.

“The second audition was far more intimidating and involved a trip to the Royal Academy of Music in London in late October.

“This time there was a panel of three – the head of the National Youth Orchestra, the head tutor of the National Youth Orchestra’s Horn Section and the Professor of Horns at the Royal Academy.”

Andrew’s demanding schedule has included a two week long course, starting just after Christmas culminating in several performances of William Walton’s First Symphony and Elgar’s First Cello Concerto.

He also recently recorded for Radio 3 and performed at The Barbican in London.

Andrew joined Woodroffe in Year seven.

Head of music Jon Cullimore said: “Andrew is very willing, hard-working and reliable.

“He is a member of a good number of ensembles; jazz band, orchestra, early music group, senior choir, brass group and anything else that he is asked to perform in.

“He is a talented young man who deserves his place in the National Youth Orchestra.

“I truly hope that he succeeds in achieving his ambitions, it won’t be for a lack of effort.”