Guest post by Anna Carter | Singer-Songwriter & Producer |
@annacartermusic   /annacarterofficial  
 /annacarterofficial

On Sunday 15th October I attended the New Blake Studio Classical Youth Concert at Norwich School. The first of its kind, the event was hosted by the Hostry Festival, in collaboration with Norfolk Music Hub, and the newly-appointed concert patron Julian Lloyd Webber MBE was in attendance!

I was asked to live-tweet as the evening unfolded, capturing the moment Julian Lloyd Webber opened the event, with a speech on the importance of the arts and the impact they have on our culture.

Having not attended many classical music concerts myself, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found the event to be entertaining, with some truly captivating performances! The level of musicianship in such young performers was impressive and very inspiring to observe.

The evening opened with a speech from concert patron Julian Lloyd Webber MBE, who spoke about the importance of encouraging the next generation to take up music. His passion for the arts was clear, as he highlighted the great impact music has had on British culture – and beyond. “That’s what identifies us as a nation,” he said.

The performances showcased a wide variety of talent, featuring over 25 young classical musicians, including soprano Alice Palmer from Norwich School; a piano duet from Matthew Preston and Benjamin Howell; and saxophonist Ved Jan Kumar from Eaton Primary School – the youngest performer at just 10 years old.

The concert was a great success, and after receiving some fantastic feedback, it’s hoped that it will become an annual event for the festival.

Read some feedback below:

“It was very motivational to see them all playing it made me think that one day I might be doing the same thing, I enjoyed the concert very much even though it was classical it felt like it was suitable for everyone, and they all played amazingly.” – young music learner

“The concert was a real success. We were so happy to witness how many musical talents Norwich has. Ved Jan had time of his life. It was a wonderful opportunity.” – parent

“Thank you so much for organising such a wonderful evening on Sunday and giving me the opportunity to play! I talked to Julian [Lloyd Webber] afterwards and he asked me about what my future plans were, which proceeded to him giving me his card inviting me to study music at Birmingham and so I could contact him later in case I had any questions! – performer


Find out more about the Hostry Festival here, which includes the Norfolk Arts Awards taking place on Friday 20th October, where Norfolk Music Hub is sponsoring the Music Prize 2017.