EA Music - CBYO @ Christmas

On Friday December 20th, the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra (CBYO) joined forces with the Flax Trust to present their annual Christmas Concert at Holy Cross Church in North Belfast. The concert, which featured a selection of beloved holiday classics, drew a large and enthusiastic audience, including esteemed guests EA's Chief Executive Richard Pengelly and EA Music's Head of Service, Darren Canmore.

This concert exemplifies the ongoing partnership between the CBYO and the Flax Trust, which aims to bring the joy of live music directly to local communities. By collaborating with the Trust, the CBYO is able to reach a wider audience and share its talents with those who may not otherwise have access to live orchestral performances.

The CBYO extends its sincere gratitude to Sr. Mary Turley and the entire Flax Trust team for their unwavering support and commitment to this valuable partnership.

Members of the CBYO and Symphonic Brass, accompanied by EA Music Tutors, visited the NI Hospice on 23rd December to perform for patients and staff. The performance showcased the talents of the young musicians and brought joy to those who were spending the Christmas period at the hospice. The orchestra hopes to continue this meaningful engagement throughout 2025 by organising performances with smaller ensembles within the hospice setting.

This initiative demonstrates the commitment of the CBYO as a civic youth ensemble for Belfast, using live performance to impact all parts of the City.

After a December which included 2 performances by the full orchestra and 6 performances by smaller ensembles, the CBYO brought another very busy Christmas season to a close with their annual "Carols and Craic" in Belfast City Centre.  This informal annual event sees the orchestra transform into a choir, which this year was accompanied by members of the brass section. Christmas shoppers were treated to “Once in Royal”, “All I Want For Christmas is You” and everything in between.

Whilst performing, orchestra members were raising money towards their forthcoming concert tour to Italy.  Thank you to all the performers who took part, and special thanks to everyone who made a donation.