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FAMOUS FORMER MEMBERS

On Saturday 2nd September 2006, Camerata Scotland performed in Perth Concert Hall. The orchestra included three former members of Perth Youth Orchestra players; brothers Lawrence (bassoon) and Michael (oboe) O'Donnell and cellist Kirsten Mills, all of whom are now based in the London area.

Kimberley Boyle has been invited to perform Mozart's G major Flute Concerto with Perth Symphony Orchestra on 18th November 2006 in Perth Concert Hall. "She had a fairly good turnout for her morning concert in St John's Kirk during the Festival of the Arts and we were treated to a marvellous programme from her and her accompanist," reports Eileen Waterston

A former PYO soloist, Heather Nicoll, is currently Acting Head of Woodwind at RSAMD.

DONALD MAXWELL was born in Perth, Scotland. He graduated in Geography from Edinburgh University and became Principal Teacher of Geography at Perth Academy.

A member of Perth Youth Orchestra in its earliest days - playing French Horn - Donald now appears regularly with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera and Opera North. He has also appeared at the Edinburgh, Wexford, Chester and Buxton festivals. Engagements abroad include Vancouver Opera, Buenos Aires, L'OpÈra National de Paris-Bastille, the Vienna Staatsoper, Stuttgart, Venice, Wiesbaden, Brussels, Nancy, Tokyo and the Athens and Macau festivals.

Recent engagements have included Faninal for the Royal Opera, Don Alfonso for WNO, Balstrode (Peter Grimes) for La Scala, Geronio (Il turco in Italia) for ENO and Mountararat (Iolanthe) for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Subsequent engagements include Janacek for Scottish Opera and Belioz and Mozart for Welsh National Opera.

Donald is still an active patron and herejoined Perth Youth Orchestra at a concert to mark its 35 anniversary - when he was soloist at the Gala Concert which marked the culmination of a weekend of reunions.

In January 2003, five present or former PYO members are in the woodwind section of National youth Orchestra of Scotland, currently giving performances in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Says Eileen Waterston, woodwind tutor, "I don't know if this is some kind of record, but it is certainly very impressive."

Kimberley Boyle (flute)
Michael O'Donnell (oboe)
Andrew Mann (clarinet)
Tom Norris (bassoon)
Laurence O'Donnell (bassoon)

ALASDAIR BEATSON was educated at Perth Academy and was a principal violist of Perth Youth Orchestra. He is at present in the final year of his studies at the Royal College of Music where he has won many prizes including the Quilter prize, the Marmaduke Barton Prize and the Knights of the Round Table Award. As a soloist and member of chamber groups, Alasdair has performed in St Martin-in-the-Fields, Kensington Palace, the National Portrait Gallery and many other venues at home and abroad.

He has appeared twice in the Park Lane Group's Young Artists New Year Series, taken part in performances of Stravinsky's Les Noces at the RCM and Bath Festival, given two performances of Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion and, with cellist, Lowri Blake, has made several live broadcasts for BBC radio.

DOUGLAS WATERSTON - a former pupil of Crieff High School, Douglas is now in Hong Kong in his 4th season with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. We welcome Douglas and the rest of the HKPO to the UK in January 2003, part of their European Tour.

HEATHER NICOLL - has been Head of Woodwind at RSAMD since 2002 and is a former member of and soloist with Perth Youth Orchestra. She took part in Perthshire Musical (Competition) Festival and is a previous winner of the Premier Trophy in addition to being awarded the Louis J. Barnett Memorial Trophy for Woodwind for four consecutive years.

Heather enjoys a diverse performing career as a clarinettist and has played with all the leading Scottish orchestras, including featuring as soloist with RSNO. She has also worked with contemporary music ensembles including Paragon, Chamber Group of Scotland and the London-based Sinfonia 21 in addition to doing a large quantity of recording work.