A FORMER Upton Noble School pupil has reached the string final of the prestigious annual BBC Young Musician 2016. Joe Pritchard, 16, who comes from Witham Friary but who now attends the international Yehudi Menuhin School (YMS) in Surrey, will perform in the string category final alongside his classmate Louisa Staples. Two years ago YMS pupil William Dutton won the string final. 

Joe, who attended Upton Noble School between 2004 and 2010 before moving to Wells Cathedral School and then YMS in 2013, will be playing his cello at the Dora Stoutzker Hall, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, on Thursday 10 March at 7pm. 

Joe was put forward for the contest by his teacher, Thomas Carroll. The application process began last July and he was invited to the first round of auditions in October at St Martin in the Fields, London. 

“Joe had to play two contrasting pieces. They had 125 people auditioning for 30 places in the category auditions,” says Joe’s mother Mary Pritchard, a teaching assistant at Upton Noble School. “Afterwards Joe was selected to go to Cardiff for the category auditions in November. This time, 30 string players were competing for just five places in the string final. By this stage the standard was extremely high, but fortunately Joe has been selected to continue to the finals.”

At the finals, Joe will perform a 20-minute programme of contrasting repertoire, along with the four other finalists, in front of an audience as well as plenty of BBC TV cameras. Prior to that the camera crew will visit him at home in Witham Friary. 

“The BBC has been incredibly warm and friendly,” continues Mary. “They filmed Joe at the National Youth Orchestra course in December and have just spent two days filming his musical activities at the Yehudi Menuhin School. We’re looking forward to them coming to Witham.”

This is the first time that Joe has entered a national competition of this level. Several years ago he won the regional final of the Rotary Young Musician of the Year, only to be told that he was too young to take part in the national final. 

Musical roots

Joe Pritchard began playing the cello when he was just six years old. He heard a classmate playing a cello at Upton Noble School and decided that it was the perfect instrument for him. For several years he had lessons with Louise Padday in Chesterblade. However, although the cello is now his speciality, Joe also plays the organ, folk fiddle and guitar. 

For many years he has played in Witham Church, as well as the village’s pub, The Seymour Arms. Even though, as a current member of the National Youth Orchestra (and prior to that the National Children’s Orchestra), Joe has played in most of the major concert venues in the UK, including the Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, The Barbican, the Sage Gateshead, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Bridgewater Hall Manchester and many more, Joe has never forgotten his roots and can often be found entertaining the locals with his sensational musical talents in his home village. 

“As he boards at school during the week he doesn’t have much time at home, but sometimes he likes playing folk music in the Seymour Arms,” says Mary. 

If Joe wins his category final he will continue to the concerto final, performing a concerto of his choice with a professional orchestra at The Barbican in London.