A highly strung musical visit!

Up and coming violinist Charlie Siem paid a visit to Stratton Upper School in Biggleswade on Friday (November 25).

The 25-year-old spent an hour chatting to the students before giving a performance.

Charlie was invited to the Eagle Farm Road school by Central Bedfordshire Council’s Inspiring Music service.

The service helps people at all stages of life to participate in and enjoy music, supporting individuals so they can reach their full potential.

Charlie, an old Etonian and Cambridge graduate performed his first oratorio at the age of just 15.

Signed to major record label Warner, he has now released two albums of classical music.

He has also performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall, Carnegie Hall in New York and more recently in Moscow and Shanghai.

Entralling his young audience, Charlie picked up his 200-year-old Guarnerius violin – which had previously been played by childhood idol Yehudi Menuhin – and started to play one of Paganini’s Caprices.

Michelle Beasley, head of music at Stratton Upper School said: “It’s been really inspiring for them to see somebody who is succeeding at such a high level at such a young age.

“I think they were quite starstruck but from talking to them it seems to have renewed their determination to play the violin – they want to get better at it now because they’ve seen what is possible.”

Attending the event, Councillor Angela Barker, deputy executive member for children’s services at Central Beds Council said it was ‘absolutely magical’.

For more information about Charlie Siem see www.charliesiem.com