THE Vacation Chamber Orchestras is back at the Quaker Meeting House in Airton, much to the delight of those who meet there, one of whom is Wilf Fenten, from Selside.

He said: "It seems ages since they last came to Airton. What was a regular visit once a year - possibly over a period of at least eight years - crashed to a sudden halt when Covid descended on the Dales. Every year when they came it was a great event. The combination of youthful great music-making with an enthusiastic reception and the wonderful acoustics of the historic Quaker Meeting House in Airton always made for a very special, quite intimate and very immediate event. It is a small venue which makes it feel as if these wonderful players are performing just for you."

The concert in the Quaker Meeting House is on April 15 at 2 pm, to be followed by an evening concert in Skipton on the same day at 7.30 pm.

For over 25 years VaCo has been one of the UK's leading residential chamber music-course providers. The Vacation Chamber Orchestras whose president is the world-famous conductor Simon Rattle, hold a number of annual seasonal courses for grade 8 standard students aged 18 - 24 from across the United Kingdom.

After completion of their studies, these talented musicians then tour a number of venues across the country in order to get a good feel of what it is like to be a professional musician.

The return of VaCo to Airton will be the highpoint of celebrations to mark the re-opening, after extensive renovations in 2022, of the Airton Quaker Meeting House, a celebrated II* listed building, and also the adjacent Barn, well-known for its comfortable, simple accommodation provided in line with Quaker values, where peace and tranquillity score high.

Mr Fenten said the Meeting Room inside with its old rustic oak screen has lost completely all traces of the previous 'nasty battleship-grey' coat of paint and is now fully restored, looking as good as it must have done well over 300 years ago. New and more comfortable seating has been installed making the concert a much more enjoyable experience.

Apart from coming to Airton and Skiptpon the orchestra will be playing at St Cuthbert’s, Pateley Bridge, on April 12 at 7.30pm; St John’s, Sharow, on April 13 at 7.30pm and St Andrew’s, Aysgarth, on April 14 at 7.30 pm.