Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra

Press Release: 11th February 2012

The Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra is delighted to announce details of its forthcoming spring concert on Saturday 24^th March at Newnham Church. The orchestra will once again be under the musical direction of its energetic young conductor, Thomas Payne, who studied violin and conducting at the Birmingham Conservatoire and will perform Mozart’s Overture to ‘The Magic Flute’ and the concertino for trombone by David in the first half. The soloist this term is local trombone prodigy Rhiannon Symonds from Yorkley.

Rhiannon, 14, has been playing the trombone for 5 years. At the age of 11 she passed her Grade 8 with Distinction and at 12 became the youngest ever brass player in the prestigious National Youth Wind Orchestra of Wales where she is currently Principal Trombone.

In 2009 Rhiannon was awarded the Robert Lewin Scholarship by the AYM, became a Future Talent Star and the youngest member of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Orchestra. In 2010 Rhiannon was again awarded the Robert Lewin Scholarship as well as an EMI Music Scholarship and Musicians Benevolent Fund Scholarship.

2011 was a very special year for Rhiannon. In January Rhiannon competed at the Chandos Symphony Orchestra Young Musician of the Year competition and was awarded the title of Most Promising Player for the second successive year and in February she won the Newark National Brass Festival. During March Rhiannon was a concerto soloist with the Solihull Symphony Orchestra and became the youngest trombonist in the UK to pass the Associate of the Trinity Guildhall London (ATCL) examination following a 40 minute recital. In July she performed at the Ryedale Festival on behalf of Future Talent in the presence of HRH Katherine Kent and took up the co-principal trombone position with the National Youth Brass Band of Wales. In November, Rhiannon was runner-up in the AXA Ambition Awards in the Arts category, a highly competitive national competition, and performed for the third time at the Royal Albert Hall for the Music For Youth Schools Prom. To close the year Rhiannon was successful in auditioning for positions with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain and securing her Grade 8 with Distinction on Euphonium.

A spokesperson for the orchestra said, ‘we’re thrilled to be playing alongside Rhiannon in this concert – she’s easily the youngest soloist we’ve ever had but she’s also so inspirational – we recommend all young musicians to come along and hear what can be achieved with hard work and determination.’

Following the interval the second half will entirely devoted to a performance of Johannes Brahms’s mighty second symphony. The orchestra is led as usual by distinguished local performer and teacher, Ros Taunton. The concert will start at 7.30pm and tickets are available at the door, £8/£5 concessions with children under 14 getting in for free, so long as they are accompanied by an adult. The orchestra now has a fully updated website www.rfdo.org.uk and a facebook page where further details about the orchestra and recruitment can be found.

For any further info about the orchestra please contact The Chairperson on 01594 510604.

Photos of Rhiannon will be forwarded on from another email.