Awards and concerts

YMC orchestras have been first- prize winners in the North London Music Festival in 1995, 1996 and every year from 1998 onwards. In addition, the newly formed 'London Youth Music Centre Children's Choir' won its first award, the Iris Macer Shield, in the above festival in its first year. In March 2003 the Choir had the honour of being asked to perform in "Youth Makes Music" at the Royal Festival Hall. In June 2003 the Choir performed its first public concert with the YMC String Orchestra in the East Finchley Arts Festival and performed again the following year. YMC ensembles have taken the first, second and third place in various competitions at home and have won gold medals abroad. The String Orchestra has performed at venues such as the HGS Institute and has given recitals at the Purcell Room of the South Bank Arts Centre, the United Reform Church, Highgate and St. Mary’s Church, Finchley and at All Saints' Church, East Finchley. Past YMC players now play in many major orchestras of the country, while others have found fame as soloists. The children’'s orchestras have raised money for charities such as Save the Children Fund, Jacqueline Du Pre Research Fund for Multiple Sclerosis, Sir Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children, Music Aid, the North London Hospice, the Young Musicians Educational Trust, Toynbee Hall, the Mayor of Barnet's chosen charity, Dogs for the Deaf and Marie Curie Cancer Care. YMC orchestras and choir have also performed in the annual St. Jude's Prom in Hampstead Garden Suburb. RECENT CONCERTS On 4th July 2009 the Orchestras and Choir of the YMC gave a concert at the Hampstead Garden Suburb Free Church to celebrate the end of a successful year and our Artistic Director Nigel Goldberg's 10th Anniversary. Nigel started conducting some of the YMC orchestras in 1982 and has put his heart and soul into their development since being appointed Artistic Director in 1999. The resulting high standard of string playing amongst YMC students is proven yearly by their successes at the North London Festival. The highlight of the concert was the joining up of Junior, Senior and Chamber Orchestras to play Nigel's arrangement of Astor Piazzolla’s Libertango.