Teens’ perfect pitch

NEW YORK, NEW YORK. . . Oldham Music centre’s orchestra played to crowds in Central Park

YOUNG musicians from Oldham have dazzled New Yorkers — and filled a successful former Oldhamer who moved to the Big Apple with pride.

Phillip Wren, founder and chief executive of United Publishing and Media, was delighted that students from the Oldham Music Centre were touring New York — including his niece Heather Burrows who plays the cello.

He was able to see the group perform at Central Park on Monday and was impressed by their talents.

Mr Wren said: “The whole family, both the British and American clans, and hundreds of onlookers passing through Central Park stopped, pulled up chairs, relaxed on the grass and thoroughly enjoyed almost two hours of flawless music from this talented group of teenagers.”

More than 90 students are on the tour, also taking in Glen Cove Music Festival, Long Island and Pier 78 on the Hudson River.

Mr Wren, who attended North Chadderton School, described the concert’s setting as beautiful.

He added: “As they started with the American national anthem, the crowd stood up and placed their right hand on their hearts in a traditional salute. The band then followed with ‘God Save the Queen’, and around the crowd small pockets of fellow Brits stood for their anthem.

“When they started to play ‘New York, New York’ one couple, who had just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, began to waltz in front of the band to rapturous applause.
“Talking to the players after the event it was abundantly clear that this trip to New York city has been a life-changing experience.

“They have taken in as much as they can, visiting museums, theatres, shopping areas and restaurants in addition to playing concerts daily, in what appears to be a non-stop whirlwind of activity. Oldham should be proud of the orchestra and these teenagers.”

Mr Wren grew up in Oldham and worked for one of the world’s largest publishing companies, Reed Elsevier, before moving to their US offices in 1999.

He hit international headlines in 2001, after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre, when a photograph of him lifting up his, then nine-year-old, son Alex during a memorial service for victims became an iconic image of America’s hopes for the future.

Mr Wren had witnessed the blazing buildings and was among those desperately fleeing the scene. Two senior members of the company were on the first plane to crash into the twin towers.


Cap1: CONCENTRATION ... The students perform.

Cap2: Cap3: OPEN air concert ... Oldham Music Centre students dazzle New York.