Congratulations to Emma Kirkwood from Banbridge Academy on gaining a place in the Ulster Youth Orchestra.  The orchestra was founded in 1993 to provide tuition and opportunities for young musicians in Northern Ireland. It is open to musicians of ages 14 to 23 who are grade 7 standard or above. The orchestra does not meet on a weekly basis for rehearsals but meets up for a 10-day residential course once a year and additional workshops and concerts throughout the year. Members are given the opportunity to work with acclaimed conductors and orchestral musicians. For Emma, the audition process involved learning several excerpts from the chosen repertoire beforehand- a Gershwin Piano Concerto and a Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto, as well as two of her own chosen pieces. She then performed these at Queens University Music Department in front of a panel of Ulster Youth Orchestra tutors.

Congratulations also go to some of Mr Richard Wilson’s Banbridge Academy guitar pupils who achieved excellent results in their exams.  Well done, Lucy Grossmann, Finn McGarry, Holly Rice and Sarah Hylands on your merit and distinctions!