WILLIAM PERFORMS IN THE STOCKTON RECITAL CONCERT SERIES

William Francis, in Year 8, is proving to be an accomplished musician. The thirteen-year old student has already achieved grade 5 on the clarinet, an instrument he has been learning since he was bought a clarinet for his birthday when he was eight.

William recently had the privilege of playing in the Stockton Recital Concert Series after being put forward by his music teacher. This is the third time he has performed and he is hoping to take part again in the next concert in November. At this concert, William played Summer, from the Victorian Kitchen Garden suite by Paul Reade.

William is very passionate about music and started to play the saxophone in Summer 2022 as he wanted to join the Jazz band. In November, just a few months later, William achieved a distinction in grade one, passing with an impressive 140 marks out of 150. He is now working towards his grade three exam which he will take in July.

This summer, William has the honour of joining the North Yorkshire County Youth Orchestra for a week-long residential, culminating in a concert performance conducted by Simon Wright, who is an internationally renowned conductor and has worked with some of the world’s leading soloists and orchestras.

Stephen Boyd, Lead teacher for Music, said: “William is a talented and dedicated musician and I am thrilled to hear about the opportunities he has had with the Stockton Recital Concert Series. These are fantastic experiences for him and will help develop his confidence.  William is a valued member of the Concert Band and Jazz Band and it is wonderful that he will be joining the North Yorkshire County Youth Orchestra in the summer – this is a fantastic achievement at such a young age.”