Saturday's orchestral concert by the Foundation that bears his name.

"It will be nice for Lord Menuhin to see what has been going on! We are very thrilled that he is coming to Bermuda early, especially to see the children perform. He is due to arrive here at lunchtime and will be at the concert that same evening,'' says Miss Alison Johnstone, teacher-in-charge of the Menuhin Foundation.

Lord Menuhin is visiting Bermuda as part of the Bermuda Festival's 20th anniversary celebrations and will conduct a Gala Concert next Tuesday, January 17.

More than 170 children from schools all over the Island will be taking part in the student concert.

Thanks to Lord Menuhin, who played at the very first Bermuda Festival in 1975, The Menuhin Foundation was formed the following year to teach strings to Bermuda's children.

Since then hundreds, if not thousands of primary school, and some secondary children have been given free tuition.

Lord Menuhin, as well known for his philanthropic activities as for his music, was determined to raise the standard of music in Bermuda. During that first Festival, he donated the entire proceeds of an extra concert towards the formation of a Foundation which, it seems, was entirely his idea.

These days, the Menuhin Foundation, under the chairmanship of Mr. John Campbell, is partly funded by the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs, but still relies heavily on private and corporate donations.

Says Miss Johnstone, "We would certainly be very glad to hear from anyone interested in supporting the work of the Foundation.'' Miss Johnstone says that Lord Menuhin, one of the great violinists of this century, will be able to see the considerable range of the students.

"Some of the younger ones have only been playing since September, so this will be the first time they have ever played in public. But many of the students have been studying for some time now, and the seniors will be playing in the Menuhin Foundation Youth Orchestra section.'' Every school orchestra or ensemble will take part, playing a few short pieces.

"At the end, all 170 of them will stand up and play in the `Grand Finale','' says Miss Johnstone. "They will be performing Scott Joplin's `The Entertainer'.'' Other Foundation teachers involved in this massive undertaking include Carolyn Burr, Kerry Haslam, Sarah Bridgland, Kate Fraser, Diane Hamilton and Suzanne Dunkerley. They are all highly trained, professional musicians who contribute to the musical life of Bermuda with frequent appearances as soloists or ensemble players in concerts, recitals and musical shows.

Schools participating include Warwick Academy Primary, Paget and Dellwood Primary Schools, Gilbert Institute, Francis Patton, St. George's Preparatory, Harrington Sound, Somerset and Port Royal Primary Schools, and the Bermuda High School, as well as the Menuhin Foundation Junior Orchestra and the Menuhin Foundation Youth Orchestra.

One of the highlights of the programme will be when Miss Johnstone's own students, the Menuhin Foundation Cello Trio, play two short pieces. The trio, which comprises Lucy Wozniak, Carolyn Hill and Mark Henderston, has already played in public at the Pilot Club Concert held in the Cathedral in December.

Miss Johnstone, who has been with the Foundation now for seven years, says she owes her career to a similar programme in England, where she began playing first the violin, then the cello, at primary school in Reading. From a musical family (her brother is principal cellist in an orchestra in Spain and her sister teaches music), Miss Johnstone believes that the Foundation offers a wonderful opportunity to educate and discover talent which would otherwise never be realised. Besides their regular classes, students can progress to the private programme or, if they prefer, can commence with private lessons.

Two Saturday music centres are also held each week. From last September, the Menuhin Foundation Youth Orchestra opened its doors, for the first time, to any instrumentalist between the ages of 12 to 21 who has achieved Grade 5 or higher (subject to instrumentation).

The Menuhin foundation Orchestral Concert takes place on Saturday, January 14 at the Anglican Cathedral in Hamilton at 7.30 p.m. Tickets at $10 ($5 for children and senior citizens) are available from any Menuhin teacher, Opus 1 on Reid Street, or by telephoning 295-2510.