Youth Orchestra

The Cardiff and Vale Youth Orchestra was founded in 1975. The orchestra rehearses weekly, during term time, at Whitchurch High School on the outskirts of Cardiff. We currently have 100 members aged 13 to 22. 

The Youth Orchestra is the senior of three CF Music Education orchestras which meet weekly. It is aimed at musicians who are Grade 6 standard or above. The orchestra rehearses on Friday evenings during the school term, holds termly residential/non-residential weekend courses and performs three concerts at prestigious venues in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan annually. The orchestra also undertakes a 10 day tour in Europe biennially, and has been on many highly successful concert tours including those to Stuttgart, Arhensburg, Vienna, Edinburgh, Italy and the Czech Republic.

The staff of the orchestra are often assisted by a team of leading professional musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, who take sectional rehearsals.

Please see below for the Youth Orchestra’s full timetable for 2024-25.

Rehearsal SessionsDayProposed DateTime  Rehearsal / Concert Venue Details
Rehearsal 1Friday13.09.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 2Friday20.09.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 3Friday27.09.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 4Friday04.10.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 5Friday11.10.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 6Friday18.10.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 7Friday25.10.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 8Friday08.11.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 9Friday15.11.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 10Friday22.11.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 11Friday29.11.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 12Friday06.12.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 13Friday13.12.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
CourseSaturday14.12.246.30 – 9.30pmWeekend Course: Bishop of Llandaff
CourseSunday15.12.246.30 – 9.30pmWeekend Course: Bishop of Llandaff
Rehearsal 14Friday17.01.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 15Friday24.01.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 16Friday07.02.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 17Friday14.02.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 18Friday07.03.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 19Friday14.03.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 20Friday21.03.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 21Friday28.03.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 22FridayApril 4th 20256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
CourseSundayApril 6th 20259.30am – 6.30pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 23Friday02.05.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 24Friday09.05.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 25Friday16.05.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 26Friday23.05.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 27Friday06.06.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 28Friday13.06.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 29Friday20.06.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 30Friday27.06.246.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 31Friday04.07.256.30 – 9pmWhitchurch High School
Rehearsal 32Friday11.07.256.30pm – 9.30pmWhitchurch High School
CourseSaturday12.07.269.30am – 6.30pmWeekend Course: Bishop of Llandaff
CourseSunday13.07.279.30am – 6.30pmWeekend Course: Bishop of Llandaff
Concert 1Friday20th December 20242pm – 6pm / 7pm – 9.15pmConcert: BBC Hoddinott Hall
Concert 2Wednesday16th July2pm – 6pm / 7pm – 9.15pmSummer Concert

Conductor Biography

Eric W. Phillips MBE (Music Director)

Born in Neath, Eric graduated from University College Cardiff with a BMus (Hons) degree and went on to complete his masters degree, before taking up his first teaching appointment at Whitchurch High School in 1980. He studied piano with Richard McMahon and Martin Jones at University, where he won the ‘Eric Harrison Memorial Prize for Pianists’.

His work with Whitchurch High School Orchestra has involved him conducting in the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall, London, St. David’s Hall, Cardiff and on concert tours abroad.

Eric joined the staff of the Youth Orchestra in 1980. Five years later, he became Associate Conductor and was appointed Principal Conductor of the Orchestra in 1993. Under his direction, the Orchestra has given outstanding performances of some of the most demanding works in the orchestral repertoire – Mahler’s 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th Symphonies, Rachmaninov’s Symphony No 2, Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony and Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra. Eric was awarded an MBE in the 2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours list.