The English Symphony Orchestra (ESO) are celebrating the renewing force of spring this weekend, with a celebration of young people in the performing arts across the region; 'On Stage in Elgar Country'. In the course of these festive few days, the region’s leading professional orchestra is joined in performances by young dancers, singers, actors and instrumentalists for performances of music ranging from Copland and Stravinsky to Beethoven and Weber.

Tomorrow they will continue their work as Orchestra-in-Residence at Worcester Live at the Swan Theatre, where the programme includes Stravinsky’s hugely popular work of musical theatre, The Soldier’s Tale,

On Sunday, May 6 at 3.30pm, the ESO moves to Hereford’s Shirehall for the last concert in their current season of very popular Shirehall Sunday concerts. The programme features the ESO performing Beethoven’s thrilling Mass in C Major with the outstanding Academia Musica Choir, the highly regarded scholars choir of Hereford Sixth Form College, under the baton of ESO Assistant Conductor, Michael Young. “The partnership between the ESO and Hereford Sixth Form College has been exceptionally fruitful,” says Head of Music and director of Academia Musica, Jon Weller, who also appears as tenor soloist. “There are very few state schools in the UK where students get to sing regularly with a world class orchestra and to work with conductors like Michael Young and Kenneth Woods."

Tickets are available online at www.eso.co.uk, from the Worcester Live Box Office in Huntingdon Hall on 01905 611427, or at the door.