TALENTED young musicians are set to say goodbye to the internationally-acclaimed orchestra which trained them.

The Bromley Youth Music Trust’s (BYMT) leavers’ concert, with members of the Bromley Youth Chamber Orchestra, will hold its annual leavers’ concert in the Great Hall of St Olave’s School in Goddington Lane, Orpington on Saturday, September 8 from 8pm to 10pm.

For leader Claudia Fuller, 18, it will be end of a 12 year association with BYMT.

She said: “I am looking forward to it.

“It will be the culmination of the work we have done in the last year and over the years.

“It will be the last thing I do with BYMT. We have had a great time doing things and going on tour and playing concerts all over the UK.

“After the summer break, it is nice to see everyone again before we go off and do our own things.”

The orchestra will treat the audience to an evening of music ranging from Back to Shostakovich, including Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Serenade for Strings by Tchaikovsky.

The group is fresh from performances of the Shostakovich Chamber Symphony in Birmingham Symphony Hall where they received and ‘outstanding award’ in the Music for Youth Festival and an acclaimed tour of France, where they received a standing ovation at the American Cathedral in Paris.

Having picked up her A-Level results, the Newstead School for Girls pupil is off to the Royal Academy of Music, and is appreciative of how her work with BYMT has prepared her.

She said: “It has been part of my life for 12 years and I am incredibly grateful.

“In terms of what I have done with them and what they have done with me – I would not be anywhere near where I am today without them.

“I chose the academy because I knew it was going to be a challenge and hopefully it will make me a better player.”

Claudia, from West Wickham, trains for around eight hours a week with BYMT, and said it has been key in her social development.

She said: “It has been brilliant. I found a lot of people who are at my school who I would never have known if it had not been for BYMT, and I have met a lot of people around the borough and around the country.”

Claudia began playing piano at the age of four, and just two years later took up violin.

She said: “I think the violin has a great range of emotions you can explore. There is a great repertoire out there and a lot of inspiring musicians to look up to.”

She said she is considering a career with the instrument, but said her aim is just to enjoy playing.

She said: “I want to be the best performer I can be and challenge myself and ultimately just enjoy it.

“There is no point in doing something if you don’t enjoy it.”

For more information about BYMT and the Leavers’ Concert, contact Sue Brown at sue@bymt.co.uk or 020 8467 1566 or go to bymt.co.uk.