Francis (centre, with tuba) with the Suffolk Youth Brass Ensemble in St Edmundsbury Cathedral
On Sunday 26th January, Music Scholar Francis Vaughan played the tuba in the Suffolk Youth Brass Ensemble at Choral Evensong to raise awareness for the work of Suffolk Mind.
This was the first public appearance of the Brass Ensemble, which is formed from the Brass Section of the Suffolk Youth Orchestra, the flagship ensemble of Suffolk County Music Service. The High Sheriff of Suffolk, who was in attendance at the service together with the Chairman of Suffolk County Council, was particularly complimentary about the Ensemble’s performance of the haunting piece by Henry Purcell, The Queen’s Dolour, which introduced the sermon by The Right Reverend Graham Knowles on mental health issues in modern life. The Ensemble also joined the Cathedral Choir and Organ in music during and after the service.
After a year in the Suffolk Youth Wind Orchestra, Francis joined the Suffolk Youth Orchestra for the 2019-20 season and is looking forward to a busy programme of concerts at Snape Concert Hall and on tour in the summer. The orchestra’s next engagement is on Tuesday 7th April, when they will accompany the newly formed Suffolk Youth Choir in Carl Orff’s scintillating Carmina Burana. There are still a few places remaining in the Youth Choir and the other county ensembles – please ask a member of the Saint Felix School Music Department for details of how to apply to take part in some really exciting musical experiences at home and abroad.