Ulster Youth Orchestra set for extraordinary performances in Derry-Londonderry and Belfast this weekend
15th August, 2025
The Ulster Youth Orchestra, Northern Ireland’s award-winning national youth orchestra, is set to perform two summer concerts in the Guildhall, Derry-Londonderry on Friday 15th August and in the Ulster Hall, Belfast on Saturday 16th August, supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
The Ulster Youth Orchestra is regarded as one of the jewels in the crown of the NI arts sector, with a reputation for excellence in all its performances. Established in 1993, the Ulster Youth Orchestra continues to flourish as the premier showcase youth orchestra in Northern Ireland.
Watch the video taken at rehearsals below
Following rigorous competitive auditions, 94 exceptional young musicians were selected to attend the annual summer course in preparation for two public concerts in Derry-Londonderry and Belfast. Over an intensive 10-day residential course at Greenmount Agricultural College, the young players received coaching, by a team of highly experienced professional tutors, to perform challenging classical works.
This year’s concert programme begins with the cinematic Twelfth Symphony by Shostakovich. Titled The Year 1917, it was dedicated to the memory of Lenin and vividly depicts the tensions and violence just before the revolution, Lenin’s hideout where he planned his campaign, the shelling of the Winter Palace in October 1917 and ends with The Dawn of Humanity as the new society emerged, a huge and powerful opener.
After the interval, a period of calm arrives with Dvořák’s Othello Overture which focuses on the dark side of romance as Othello’s love for Desdemona turns to jealousy. To conclude, the mood lightens with the popular Pictures at an Exhibition written by Mussorgsky and brilliantly orchestrated by Ravel. The visitor walks through the exhibition and the music brings each picture (of which there are ten) vividly to life.
Paula Klein, UYO General Manager, said, “Every year generates a great sense of excitement at the summer course, and we look forward to welcoming audiences to our two concerts and delivering high quality, sparkling performances. We are delighted to welcome back Michael Seal as our conductor and diving into this year’s dramatic repertoire!”
Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music and Opera, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, added, “The Ulster Youth Orchestra’s summer concert series is an annual highlight in the musical calendar which serves to showcase the incredible training, development and work that this award-winning company do to support our finest young, classical musicians. Audiences can expect two evenings of tremendous classical music, and I would encourage everyone to go along and enjoy!”
Concerts take place on Friday 15 August 2025, 7.45pm at the Guildhall in Derry-Londonderry, with tickets available from www.millenniumforum.co.uk and at the Guildhall on the evening of the concert.
The second concert takes place on Saturday 16 August 2025, 7.45pm at the Ulster Hall Belfast with tickets available at www.ulsterhall.co.uk and at the Ulster Hall box office on the evening of the concert.
To find out more about the Ulster youth Orchestra visit https://uyo.org.uk/