Musicians from the Greater Manchester Youth String Orchestra (GMYSO) spent an inspiring day of side-by-side rehearsals with Manchester Baroque Fellows Rebecca and James on Sunday 23rd March, at the prestigious Chetham's School of Music. This unique collaboration offered young players the chance to immerse themselves in historical performance styles through an engaging and hands-on learning experience.

The GMYSO brings together some of the region’s most talented young string players, selected from music hubs across Greater Manchester. Already recognised as one of the leading youth string ensembles in the North of England, the orchestra excels in tackling technically demanding and musically rich repertoire.

The day began with innovative warm-ups blending yoga with bowing techniques, setting the tone for an exciting exploration of Corelli and Handel's works. Following a lively lunch break, the musicians delved into the dances from Grieg's Holberg Suite, uncovering new layers of rhythmic interest, before concluding with a fun-filled lesson in the art of minuet dancing!

It was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with such gifted and passionate students. Who knows—perhaps we’ve helped to inspire the next generation of historical performance stars!