Bedfordshire Youth Opera is one of the finest courses of its kind in the country.  It is unique in the UK, providing one of very few opportunities for young people aged 14 -26 to experience opera – singing, playing or assisting backstage.  BYO has been nurturing talent since 1981 and last year for the first time the course included a gala of operatic highlights performed as part of our Music on Mondays series. I am hoping this will be a memorable illustration of the power of The Ties between Pupil & Teacher, a showcase for these fine young singers from across the country!

There is no entry fee for this special event.  There will instead be a retiring collection to raise funds for BYO.  I’m most grateful to Roderick Williams and our President, Petroc Trelawny, for giving their time and talent to endorse such a splendid project; thanks also to colleagues on the course, Rachel Nicholls and Fred Broom, for their help in preparing the programme.  The kind support of all these remarkable people shows the extraordinary esteem in which BYO is held.  I hope you will feel moved to give generously as this is an exceptional opportunity for young musicians to develop their skills and nurture a love for music that will last them a lifetime.

Richard Sisson (Programme Planner)