A 40th Birthday Spectacular perhaps, more than anything else, sums up the achievements of the Bournemouth and Poole College Centre for Young Musicians where over 1000 young people have enjoyed music making with the WYO.

The public celebration at Saturday’s concert under the encouraging baton of Susanna Riddell produced yet more high-spirited playing with Shostakovich’s exuberant Festive Overture getting the party in progress and Chris Jarvis acting as the ebullient MC.

One cannot but be amazed at the quality of playing here as well as the fairly smooth passage of the Adagio from Khachaturian’s Spartacus.

The lion roars again! Well that was the good-humoured tribute to the late founder conductor Don Riddell in one of Andrew Scott’s WYO commissioned works Roar, alongside which was a jazz-inspired anniversary piece Ruby in happy, big band style.

It’s more than just a concert with the annual Don Riddell Memorial Prize being shared between Hannah Scott, principal flute, and Tom Kidman, principal trumpet. Acknowledgement too for Chris Guy, whose recent death deprived the WYO of tremendous support. Their tribute, in glorious sound, of Goodwin’s 633 Squadron and Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines soared with his generous spirit.

Among much merry-making was Strauss’ Bandits’ Gallop accompanied by snappers and his Champagne Polka spiked with party poppers!