WITH VIDEO: Witnessing the birth of a new youth orchestra in York

A couple of hours earlier, more than 30 teenage musicians from across Yorkshire were brought together for the first time. Yet already, under the guidance of their conductor Tom Hammond, this group of young strangers is beginning to sound like a proper orchestra.

They're deep into a rehearsal of Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, also known as Fingal's Cave. In the sound of the horns, the whirl and sway of the strings, you can hear the waves crashing on that remote Hebridean beach. A rising thunder of drums brings an ominous note, the suggestion of a storm approaching...

Mr Hammond brings the music to a juddering halt with a sweep of his hand. His young charges look at him expectantly.

Members of the Yorkshire Young Sinfonia in rehearsal at Escrick with conductor Tom Hammomd

"This is the hard bit - the notoriously hard bit!" he says. "Has anyone ever been to Scotland, or seen this Fingal's Cave place?" There's no response, but every eye is fixed on him, intent. "It's stormy weather, with massive waves crashing in," he says, setting the scene. "There are going to be tempo changes, and it's crucial we have our eyes open. So, Bar 116. Dum dum da-da dum dum..."

The music begins again, haltingly at first, then swelling and deepening, low notes building the tension as that storm draws ever nearer, before breaking with a crash of drums.

Welcome to the first-ever rehearsal of the newly-formed Yorkshire Young Sinfonia.

The brainchild of Scarborough-born cellist David Taylor, the Sinfonia brings together talented teenagers aged 13-18 from across Yorkshire. Throughout this week, they are staying at Queen Margaret's School, where they are being knocked into shape, in a few short days, ahead of their first-ever public concert, at the York Barbican, on Saturday.

At the moment, this is more of a music school. Throughout the week, as well as rehearsing, the 33 teenagers taking part have been receiving professional coaching workshops from top musicians.

Sisters Polly (left) and Milly Wald-Harding get in some extra practice

But the young people here were already talented musicians in their own right - they had to be at least Grade 6 in their chosen instrument even to apply to join the orchestra. And Tom Hammond, who has conducted orchestras such as the Palestine Youth Orchestra and the Essex and Hertford Symphony Orchestras, can already see huge potential.

"It's Day One, and they're all quite tired and nervous. But I can hear what they're going to lead up to," he says. "There's a really, really good base here."

Conductor Tom Hammond

These teenagers will need all their talent, plus a dose of confidence-boosting encouragement from their conductor, when Saturday evening comes around.

The Barbican is a big venue. And the concert programme being put together is hugely ambitious: the Mendelssohn, plus a Mozart piano concerto, some Brahms, the second movement of Beethoven's seventh symphony - and a new composition written as a result of a University of Leeds music composition.

A tall order, then, for a group of teenagers only brought together for the first time this week.

On Monday, the first day of rehearsals and the day of The Press's visit, there were a few nerves - but also boundless enthusiasm.

"I'm quite nervous!" admitted 18-year-old viola player Gavin Brooks, from Heslington, during a break in rehearsals. "The Mendelssohn is quite difficult, and I've never really had the full orchestra experience before. But there's a really nice atmosphere here. You feel you can make a mistake - you can't really learn to play it without making a mistake."

Gavin Brooks

Violin player Eden Clark, 15, from South Cave, was also enjoying the experience.

"I love it!" she said. "I've already learned a lot. Each time you play, and have to be told something, you learn something. And the conductor is brilliant. He keeps breaking the ice, and he's really good at getting us through it."

Eden Clark

Sisters Milly and Poppy Wald-Harding had come from the village of Swillington near Garforth to join the orchestra.

Like Eden, violin player Polly, 13, was finding the whole experience exhilarating. "It's amazing!" she said.

Double bass player Milly, 16, who was expecting her GCSE results this week and dreams of being a professional musician, was equally enthusiastic. "I just love it when we all play together," she said. "Each instrument builds up a part of the music. it makes something really special."

It does indeed. What makes it all the more special is that these youngsters - some of the best young musicians in the whole of Yorkshire - are following in a wonderful tradition.

For a few brief, glorious years from 1947 to 1955, the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra wowed audiences in towns and cities across Yorkshire and the rest of the country. Amidst the deprivation and hardship of post-war Britain it seemed to offer hope of something better: a cultural renaissance to come.

Ultimately, the orchestra foundered through lack of funds.

But in a moving Radio 4 documentary, Death of an Orchestra, broadcast last December, Alan Bennett joined former members of the orchestra to recall its glory days and its ultimate sad passing.

Now the woman behind that programme, Susan Kenyon of Whistledown productions, is making a new documentary. It is about the formation of the new Yorkshire Young Sinfonia - and it will be called, naturally enough, Birth of an Orchestra.

The programme, to be broadcast in September, will follow the young members of the Sinfonia as they prepare for Saturday's concert - finishing with the performance itself.

So no pressure then.

Conductor Tom Hammond admits it is 'incredibly special' to be in at the birth of something new - especially at a time when many county orchestras are struggling.

If the Yorkshire Young Sinfonia can follow in the proud tradition set all those years ago by the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, well... "That thought gives me goosebumps," he says.

• The Yorkshire Young Sinfonia's inaugural concert is at the York Barbican at 7pm on Saturday. Tickets £17 (students and under 18s £7) from tickets.yorkbarbican.co.uk/

The birth of an orchestra

Members of the Yorkshire Young Sinfonia in rehearsal

The Yorkshire Young Sinfonia is the brainchild of Scarborough-born cellist David Taylor.

The aim, he says, is to showcase and foster the wealth of young musical talent in Yorkshire - encouraging young people in their love of classical music, giving them the skills and professional training they will need to make a career as musicians - and then enabling them to perform as an orchestra in a major public venue.

Young musicians had to apply in writing to join the orchestra. But for those who have been accepted, it offers a wonderful opportunity.

Orchestra director David Taylor

Throughout the week, they have been staying at Queen Margaret's School. There, top musicians from across Europe - musicians such as Julian Bliss, one of the world's finest solo clarinettists - have been providing them with hands-on tuition. There have also been intensive rehearsals each day with conductor Tom Hammond as the orchestra prepares for Saturday's inaugural concert.

But what does the future hold for the fledgling orchestra?

So far, while it has the support of organisations such as the University of Leeds and Welcome to Yorkshire, it has been personally funded by Mr Taylor himself. The cost of the week-long residential course at Queen Margaret's School has been £350 for each teenager taking part - which helps with finances, but also means it is expensive for parents.

So isn't that going to put off talented young musicians from less well-off families?

There are bursaries and even full scholarships available for young people from families which cannot afford the fee, Mr Taylor says. "One third of those here this week have a bursary or scholarship. We want to make it as accessible as possible."

No further concerts are planned for this year as yet. But there will be another summer course, followed by a concert, next year. And ultimately, Mr Taylor hopes to get sponsorship and advertising, so that two residential courses can be held each year, with more concerts.

The eventual aim? A 'vision statement' on the Yorkshire Young Sinfonia website sums that up: to establish a "youth orchestra of excellent quality, standard and prestige" and to provide young Yorkshire musicians with "opportunities to access the highest standard in orchestra coaching." Ultimately, it says, the Yorkshire Young Sinfonia will help ensure that "classical music becomes synonymous with Yorkshire."

There will be quite a responsibility resting on those young shoulders on Saturday night when members of the orchestra give their first public performance...

• To find out more about the Yorkshire Young Sinfonia - and about how young musicians in your family can apply - visit yys.org.uk/