Matter of priorities

NORTH Devon s young musical talent will be given the chance to play to international audiences this autumn thanks to a grant from a Barnstaple charitable trust. The Davie Trust is helping around 40 young musicians from two orchestras to travel to Italy in

NORTH Devon's young musical talent will be given the chance to play to international audiences this autumn thanks to a grant from a Barnstaple charitable trust.

The Davie Trust is helping around 40 young musicians from two orchestras to travel to Italy in October to perform a trio of concerts in Barnstaple's twin town of Susa.

The Trust, set up to help local young people, has awarded the North Devon Music Centre with an �8,000 grant to cover the cost of the once-in-a-lifetime trip, the first of its kind to the new twin town. Last year, the registered charity helped Barnstaple Sea Cadets to buy its new boat, Unicorn.

Twenty students from North Devon Guitar Ensemble and 18 musicians from North Devon Strings will play in a variety of beautiful venues including the cathedral in the centre of Susa. One of the concerts on the five-day visit will raise money for the victims of the L'Aquila earthquake.

A small ensemble of eight musicians played a special thank-you concert in Barnstaple Guildhall to trustees, including Mark and Michael Davie, who can trace their family in Barnstaple back to the 1680s.

"I hope the chance to play to audiences in Italy will be a fantastic and uplifting experience for young people from Barnstaple," said Mark Davie.

"Travelling to another country not only gives young people a chance to see other cultures, but to also exchange ideas and views.