A workshop for members of the Menuhin Foundation Youth Orchestra is being planned for this weekend when members of the celebrated English Chamber Orchestra currently here for Bermuda Festival performances will work with the young string players.

The workshop will take place at St. John's Church, Pembroke, when three of the visiting musicians will work with the students on three of the four movements of Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons', as well as the first movement of Grieg's 'Holberg Suite'.

"Once the students heard that the ECO had recently performed the thrilling first movement of the Grieg work they insisted on having a chance to work on it with the visiting musicians as it is such an integral part of the string orchestra repertoire," Menuhin Foundation team coordinator Karen O'Brien said.

"Since the start of term, Tommy Atkinson and myself — the Youth Orchestra's conductors — and the students have been working on these pieces during their weekly rehearsals, and we are all delighted to have this opportunity to work with such top professional string players."

The flagship Menuhin Foundation Youth Orchestra performs regularly in Hamilton and around the Island. It comprises the Foundation's top string players, who range in ability from Grades Four to Eight, and are aged between 13 and 18.

"We were delighted when we were approached by the Bermuda Festival to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity for our students," Miss O'Brien added.

"Many of the students are hoping to hear the ECO perform at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. By hearing them perform and also working with a select group of the musicians, our students are sure to come away truly inspired for their own future music-making."

The workshops take place from 11.45 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday following which the public is invited to hear the results from 2.15 p.m. to 2.45 p.m. at St John's Church, admission to which is free.