A WORLD renowned composer is raising the baton with Southampton’s musical youth this weekend.

In a musical first for the city, Guy Woolfenden will join forces with Southampton Youth Wind Band and Southampton Concert Wind Band in a spectacular to be held at Thornden School, Chandler’s Ford, tonight.

This exciting partnership is supported by a National Lottery Awards for All grant.

It features up to 100 musicians from diverse backgrounds. Both bands are popular community performers in Southampton and further afield.

The concert is the culmination of a scheme to raise the profile of wind band music and encourage budding musicans, young and old, to get involved.

Guy’s music has accompanied some of the world’s great theatrical productions.

He’s had a long relationship with the Royal Shakespeare Company and conducted the Kirov Ballet in St Petersburg.

Now he will bring together the talents of two local ensembles with a special performance of Gallimaufry, a piece based on his original score for the RSC’s 1982 production of Henry IV.

It promises to be a fizzing finale to an evening of great wind band music.

For pictures of the youngsters in action, see Monday’s Scene South.