For the last five years, young soloists get the opportunity to perform with the Sidney Classical Orchestra.
This year, there are seven young musicians between the ages of 11 and 18 who will play.
“We’ve got seven great young soloists this year and we’re really looking forward to having a good concert,” said the Orchestra’s Conductor Stephen Brown.
First on the program is Bonnie Lu, 11. She will play the piano and will be performing the first movement of a Mozart piano concerto. She studies with Lina Low at the Victoria Conservatory of Music.
Next on the program is a composer by the name of Leslie Opatril, 21, who has written a piccolo concerto which won the Victoria Conservatory Composition Competition in the open category last year. The piece is called Tangled Thoughts. Mary Byrne will play the piccolo solo.
Sophie van der Sloot, 13, who performs soon with the Victoria Symphony in one of their fundraising events, will play the cello. Van der Sloot will play the third movement of the Haydn cello concerto.
Kate Moran, 16, will play a piece by Vittorio Monti, a violin and orchestra piece. Moran has had a lot of success in the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival. Former Symphony splash soloist for the Victoria Symphony, Erik Lin, 11, will play the third movement of a Mozart piano concerto. Lin played with the young soloists a few years ago and was their youngest ever.
Emma Reader-Lee, 16, on violin, will play the first movement of the Haydn violin concerto.
Rebecca Bracewell, 18, and a Symphony Splash soloist last summer, will play the accordion in a piece by Astor Piazzola.
“So it’s really a good line up,” said Brown.
He said feedback has been great, adding it’s a great opportunity for the youth to play with professionals.
“A lot of times it makes a real difference to their commitment to music. They have this experience and it can be quite stimulating for their musical studies.”
The performance takes place this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Sidney.
For tickets, call 250-480-1133. Tickets for youth under 19 are free at the door. Tickets are also available at Tanner’s Books, Long & McQuade (Victoria) and CityScribe (Brentwood Bay).