'SUBLIME, yet full of youthful vigour', 'music making of the highest order' and 'really exhilarating and enthusiastic playing', were some of the comments concert-goers made as they were leaving the Quaker Meeting House in Airton after a lively concert.

The Vacation Chamber Orchestras, (VaCO) whose president is conductor Simon Rattle, hold a number of annual seasonal courses for grade eight standard students aged 18 to 24 across the UK . After completion of their studies, the talented young musicians tour the country in order to get a good feel of what it is like to be a professional musician. And, again, they came to Airton as they have done for around eight years.

"It’s always a bit like fitting a quart into a pint pot when such a relatively large group of chamber orchestra players gives a performance in the small ancient Quaker place in Airton," said clerk of Airton Meeting, Wilf Fenten.

"However, the dedicated audience, the great acoustics and the welcoming reception seem to motivate these young musicians to performances of the highest quality. With a mixture of Grieg, Mozart, Martinu, Beethoven and a wonderfully engaging piece by Xenophone Kelsey, VaCO’s musical director, the seamless sequence of different chamber groupings left the audience spellbound at the afternoon’s concert."

Mr Fenten added that the reception given to the musicians was 'not unexpectedly, very warm and enthusiastic'.

"Particularly as the concert finished with a brilliant rendering of Mozart’s Musical Joke which even the less musically-knowledgeable recognised as part of the Horse of the Year theme tune."

At the end of the concert, Mr Fenten thanked everyone and expressed the feelings of all present that the world would be poorer if it were not for such musical community events which make the Dales special.

Refreshments were laid on afterwards.