These talented young wind players have been selected to play in the Music for Youth National Festival.

This is the third year that they have been invited to take part in the festival, which this year is being held in the Purcell Room, on the South Bank, London on July 7.

The group are all students of Leigh teacher Gill Thorn, who teaches woodwind in Southend schools.

Back in 1992, Gill started arranging pieces to give clarinettists at a junior school a chance to play together.

The group progressed well, impressing guests at the school musical evenings, and progressively playing harder music.

When the youngsters moved on to secondary school, they wanted the opportunity to continue playing together and the Original Woodwind Ensemble was formed.

Now the group has developed and now includes oboe, cor anglais, clarinet, bass clarinet and bassoon.

The group is split into smaller groups for different types of music, including the Original Chamber Ensemble with musicians aged from 10 to 17 and the Junior Original Chamber Ensemble, with players aged from 10 to 13.

The girls have performed in other top London venues including St John's Smith Square as prizewinners in the National Chamber Music Competition for Schools and several of them will also perform in the Royal Albert Hall in August as members of the national youth and children's orchestras.

Originals - the Original Chamber Ensemble will perform in top London venues this summer

Picture: LUANN MARSHALL

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