East Sussex Youth Orchestra
The East Sussex Youth Orchestra (ESYO) meets twice a year and is directed by Colin Metters.
They have performed in all the principal concerts venues of the county, including at Glyndebourne. They have also appeared in London at St John’s Smith Square, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, LSO St Luke’s and the Royal Albert Hall.
Since its formation, the Orchestra have regularly toured abroad, visiting France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
They have also twice taken part in the National Association of Youth Orchestra’s festival during the internationally renowned Edinburgh Festival.
ESYO highlights, 2000–2002
In 2000 and 2001, the orchestra were selected as one of the six national finalists in the Sainsbury’s Youth Orchestra series. In 2000, the orchestra embarked on a concert tour of Tuscany, Italy, and they played to capacity audiences.
In 2001, they gave two summer concerts with the celebrated pianist John Lill, in Wiltshire and East Sussex. In the summer of 2002, the orchestra toured Belgium, where concerts were given at the historic town of Ypres and at the Cathedral in Ghent as part of the Ghent Festival.
ESYO highlights, 2003–2005
In August 2003, the orchestra performed at the Royal College of Music in London.
As part of the twenty fifth anniversary celebrations in 2004, they toured Poland, giving concerts in major historic and cultural centres, finishing in Krakov.
In 2004, the Orchestra performed at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings and at LSO St Lukes concert hall in London, which was broadcast live via the Internet.
The Youth Orchestra also took part in a highly successful tour of Spain in August which culminated in a performance by invitation, at the highly acclaimed Pablo Casals International Festival.
The East Sussex Youth Orchestra
Performances 2006–2008
Summer 2006 was busy for the Youth Orchestra. A highlight was a concert was held at The De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, in support of The Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In July 2008 the orchestra visited Paris and performed at the Madeleine in front of an audience of 1,200 people.
Apply to join
Entry is by audition only, and players must 16 years old and older and are expected to be grade 6 or above.
