by Diana Falzon TWO boys from Stonyhurst College have recently been awarded places in the newly constituted National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, which will begin its first rehearsals on December 28.
The boys' headmaster, Mr R G Mercer, is absolutely delighted with their achievement as it is the first time any pupils from the college have won a place on this orchestra.
A third pupil, Marc de Mauny, was also on the short list, but narrowly missed a place on account of the unusually large number of violinists applying this year.
Both successful boys won music scholarships to Stonyhurst from the Westminster Cathedral Choir School, where Philip Crossley had been Head Boy and Benedit Rogerson Head Chorister. Philip has played the Double Bass for five years, having begun on the cello a couple of years earlier. Benedict has learnt the cello for 11 years, his father being the manager of the Chichester Festival Theatre.
The National Youth Orchestra will be rehearsing at Stonyhurst for an 11 day period, during which time they will perform in concerts in Liverpool, Leeds and Blackpool.