Westmorland Youth Orchestra Lakes School, Troutbeck Bridge Nautical themes were the order of the day for Roland Fudge’s second concert at the ‘helm’ of the WYO before a capacity audience. Entitled ‘Windermere Reflections’, and enthusiastically co-presented by Windermere Rotary Club, the programme alludes to the water quality improvement project of that name.

Meditative and serene tones ruled the first half, with shimmering ‘Sea Interludes’ by Britten and a fabulously sustained duet for violin (Heather Storer) and piano (Lucy Gray) of Arvo Pärt’s mesmerising, Spiegel im Spiegel. If water had been the ruling element for most of the concert, fire had the upper hand later on. The audience were delighted with Preston A-level student Bradley Johnson’s precision as soloist in Rodrigo’s passionate Concierto de Aranjuez (Adagio). Local accordionist Natalija Japerte also raised the temperature with a captivating performance of Piazzolla’s Libertango. The orchestra’s versatility was abundant – Kier McGregor left fellow cellists to sing Make Me Smile (by Cockney Rebel’s Steve Harley), and Fudge, whose own composition of Nautical Scenes featured earlier, turned to the microphone to add vocal harmonies.

The Lakes School Singers provided pre-concert entertainment by trailing items from Phantom of the Opera, a production to look out for in November.

Allyson Fiddler