Classical night out with superb musicians (and my backstage pass)

THE Henley Youth Festival has been going for 30 years and gives young people the opportunity to showcase their talents for both creative and performing arts.

It is run entirely by volunteers and would not be possible without their dedicated support.

Senior Proms, which took place at the Kenton Theatre on March 6, displayed an incredible array of musical skills, ranging from the Spanish guitar to the piano to the violin.

The event was co-ordinated by Laura Law, who was inspired to get involved by her own experience of taking part in the very first Henley Youth Festival.

We were expertly guided through the evening by Eddie and Grace Pratt, who introduced the young artists and gave us an insight into their characters and musicality, which made their performances feel much more personal.

Going behind the scenes to speak with several of the muscians gave me a deeper understanding of how the festival truly supports young people with their confidence and performing abilities.

Violinist Anjali Shanker, 17, had chosen her piece, Vocalise by Serge Rachmaninoff, because she enjoys slower pieces of music, feeling they can really bring out emotions and move others.

She views the event as a good opportunity, especially for younger people, who get to feel what it’s like playing for a live audience.

Anjali also appreciates the chance to experience a variety of other musicians and pieces outside her own instrument. Cesar Muresan (year 12), played Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 Prelude in G major on the Spanish guitar. It was his first time performing at the festival, encouraged by his guitar teacher, having been preparing his piece for several months.

He felt he had challenged himself by performing in a new environment and enjoyed the experience.

I also spoke to 18-year-old Eddie Pratt, who has played the guitar since he was eight and is versatile in many of the performing arts.

He said he loves playing the classical guitar for an audience and he felt more excited than nervous beforehand despite a challenging piece, Asturias by Isaac Albeniz. Eddie said: “The Henley Youth Festival is a good gateway into performing and a great tool to increase confidence on stage.”

The evening finished with the Henley Suzuki Violin Group’s wonderful performance of Bach’s Double Violin Concerto in D minor. The group consisted of Anjali, Shree Rao, Oscar Tarling and Annabel McLean.

Annabel (year 11) said she had been performing from a young age and had participated in the festival before.

She enjoyed seeing and hearing what the other artists had to offer.

The other incredible performances included: Oscar Tarling — Allegro Assai by T G Albinoni; Lucas Rhys Gregory Wildman — Melody (Arabian Air) by Felix de Couppey and Night Escape by Cornelius Gurlitt; Ruby Urch — The Two Grenadiers by R Schumann; Annabel McLean — Salut d’amour by Edward Elgar; Rohan Shanker — From Foreign Lands and People; Matthew and Maksym Korchovyi — Hungarian Dance in D minor by J Brahms; Isaac Urch — April Come She Will by Simon and Garfunkel; Shree Rao — Romance in F by Beethoven; Mamie Armitage — Siesta from Summer Music by Richard Rodney Bennett.

There was also a second performance by the Henley Suzuki Violin Group (Anjali Shanker, Shree Rao, Saachi Rao, Oscar Tarling, Ella Tarling, Annabel McLean and Ruby Urch) of Bourré by Handel.

Senior Proms was a success in demonstrating the abundance of local talent we are fortunate to have in Henley.