YOUNG musicians from across the country were in Malvern this week to learn from professionals.

The ESO Youth Orchestra has rehearsed at Malvern Theatres all week in preparation for two concerts, tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday (April 22).

The first concert is part of the English Symphony Orchestra's Side by Side Project, in which members of the youth orchestra work with members of the professional orchestra.

The 48 students and 45 professionals will perform Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D Minor with ESO concert master Michael Bochmann, Rachmaninov's Symphony No.2 and the premiere of Alastair Greig's Jump, a work specially commissioned for the project.

On Sunday, the Youth Orchestra and the Children's Orchestra (aged seven onwards) will perform works including Blake's Walking in the Air, Burtch's The First Dragon and Prokofiev's classic Peter and the Wolf.

"The project gives young people the opportunity to see how a professional prepares for a performance, and how he or she actually performs," said William Boughton, the ESO's Music Director.

"Everything the students do is with a professional, and that's something that no other youth orchestra offers."

Mr Boughton said that there was only so much a student could learn by taking grades.

"All the members have grade eight, but to take them onto another level, to create that sound, is vitally important to their developing musicianship.

"We get letters each year from members, and they all say that it improved the standard of their playing so much. It helps them realise what they have to achieve if they want to enter music professionally."

The youth orchestra was formed in 1994 with week-long courses in the summer, but that arrangement soon ran into problems.

"Their playing was of such a high standard that a large number of them were involved in the National Youth Orchestra," said Mr Boughton, "and their course was in the summer as well, so we moved it to the Easter holidays."

Young people aged between 14 and 21 have been staying at the youth hostel on Peachfield Road in preparation for the weekend's recitals, and were full of praise for the course.

"It'll do me good," said Noriko Tsuzaki, an 18-year-old violinist, "and improves your music reading."

"It gives you more confidence in your playing," said 18-year-old Louise Craigie, "You always play better when someone's playing next to you."

"It's a good mix of amateurs and professionals," said Elizabeth Piercy, 20, also a violinist, "and it creates a stimulating and relaxed teaching environment."

Saturday's concert is at 7.30pm, and tickets start at £5. Sunday's recital is at 3pm, and tickets are £3. Bookings for both concerts from the box office on 01684 892277.