Willem offered place in National Children’s Orchestra

Congratulations to Willem VdHB who has been offered a place as a full member of the National Children’s Orchestra.

Willem, who is in Year 4, studies violin, singing and piano.  He started playing the violin 3 ½ years ago as a member of the Young Strings at Birmingham Conservatoire, which he attends every Saturday morning.  As part of his programme, Willem has individual violin lessons with Selina Hamilton, attends the Suzuki violin group, Young Strings Orchestra, Dalcroze Choir and individual singing lessons.

At Winterfold, Willem plays with the Junior and Senior String group and School Orchestra and studies piano with the Head of Music Jerry Price.  It comes as no surprise that his favourite lesson at school is music!

Willem competed in the Northfield Festival of Music & Speech in 2016 & 2017, winning a strings class both years running, as well as being a joint winner at Winterfold’s Junior Music Competition in 2017.

Willem is very excited to have been offered a place in the National Children’s Orchestra. As part of the audition, he had to perform two contrasting pieces and play two pieces of sight reading. He will attend his first NCO monthly regional rehearsal in February and as a member of the National Orchestra, he will also attend a residential training course during the summer holidays.

Well done Willem – this is a great achievement!