AS I took my seat in the auditorium at the Courtyard I overheard another member of the audience saying that she hadn't seen so many children at a concert in years. It was indeed very heartening to see so many young people experiencing such high-quality music.

Julian Lloyd Webber is an animated and committed performer, who enfolds his cello so that it seems almost too small for him. Yet on many occasions he drew from it a beautiful singing tone, which made one forget how challenging the acoustic was in which he played.

Highlights of the programme included the Faur lgie, in which he displayed a tremendous dynamic range, and the Debussy Sonata, which is music of extended sighs and significant shrugs. He captured almost every nuance. It was also an opportunity to hear the delicate yet alert accompaniment by Rebecca Woolcock.

My only quibble musically was with the Brahms Sonata, where he sometimes seemed to overwhelm his instrument to the point where the tone sounded strained. However I felt this was only because he felt so passionately about the music.

Lloyd Webber seems a lovely man who readily engaged with his audience.

It was a magical final touch when he encouraged a number of young cellists who had taken part in the afternoon's master class on to the stage to join him in an arrangement of his brother's song: I don't know how to love him. Through his boyish enthusiasm and encouragement he gave these 10 young cellists - and the audience - an experience that they will never forget.

The next concert in the Hereford Concert Society's season will be given by Joanna Macgregor on March 14 at The Courtyard.

Roger Langford