THE county's stand-out young musicians delighted an audience in St Marys Church Ross with a rousing night of music.

Herefordshire Youth Orchestra was playing its first concert in the town and reverberated the rafters with the huge sound of Wagner’s Prelude to Meistersinger to start the evening off, and went on to treat their audience to Faure's Dolly Suite, three movements from Dvorak's New World Symphony, as well as Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, which featured a stunning performance by violinist and leader of the orchestra, Raye Harvey.

Raye, aged 18, is a student of Hereford Sixth Form College and has won a place in the Royal Northern College of Music for the next academic year.

The orchestra is the flagship of Herefordshire Music Service, with many of the musicians starting in one of the beginner ensembles, moving up to more senior ensembles as they made progress with their instruments.

A spokesman said: "The Music Service is very proud of the dedication and discipline of the young players who give up hours of their time to lessons and practice with their teachers and then rehearsal, every Tuesday evening, in Hereford’s Shirehall."

"As Raye has demonstrated, they are our hope for the future of live music, becoming the ensemble players and soloists in years to come.

The orchestra, run by Encore Enterprises and supported by Arts Council England, new members are always welcome to join the Music Service’s ensembles. Contact details: 01432 853219, info@encore-enterprises.com, www.encore-enterprises.com.