Top Violinist Becomes Honorary President

Violinist Tasmin Little gives support to Rochdale’s Spirit of Youth in Music Festival.

Tasmin Little is regarded as one of the world's leading violinists. Born in London, she studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School, which is one of the music schools visiting Rochdale for this year’s festival. She gained her Performance Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music, where she won the Gold Medal. She has performed with many of the world's great orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Berlin Symphony, London Symphony, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, Hallé, Bournemouth, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Royal Danish and with conductors including Rattle, Masur, Ashkenazy, Järvi, Slatkin, Rozhdestvensky, Otaka, Menuhin and Andrew Davis.

In announcing her support this week Tasmin said “I am delighted to give my support to this outstanding celebration of the best of youth and music. There is so much amazing talent amongst the young which deserves to be showcased and this Spirit of Youth in Music Festival does just that. The musicians you will hear in the evening concerts are from specialist music schools in the UK and this year from Japan as well and I am confident that you will be inspired and moved by the incredible standards of these gifted young musicians.

I am glad that the festival also has a vitally important educational element, in the way the young musicians are going into the schools of Rochdale to share their knowledge and to inspire the pupils either to take up musical study or to aim for even higher. We owe it to the young to give every possible support and encouragement in this demanding but ultimately most fulfilling of arts.”

The Festival – which is biennial - is the brainchild of the Rochdale Music Society. Founded in 1979, this small group is run entirely by volunteers and their mission for more than twenty years has been to promote the enjoyment of high quality classical music. Subscribers come from as far afield as Cumbria and the Midlands.

Chairman of the Society, Shirley Mitchell, whose background is in music teaching, spoke about the work of the Society, “Each year the Society puts together a programme of six concerts that run from October to May and later this year we will be launching our 25th season. Within each season we bring to Rochdale a wide variety of artists and groups, soloists, ensembles, vocal and instrumental, symphony orchestras such as the Halle and the BBC Philharmonic, choirs and brass bands.”

The Spirit of Youth in Music Festival runs from Thursday 29 April to Saturday 1 May with concerts each evening at the Gracie Fields Theatre, Hudson's Walk, Rochdale, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets start from £8 with special discounts for all three nights and all school children are £1. For a Festival Brochure ring 01706 864845 or email jayne@spiritofyouthinmusic.org.uk. For ticket sales and information about accommodation in the area contact Rochdale Tourist Information Centre on 01706 864928. Quote 'Classic FM' to receive a special discount of £1 off each adult ticket.