Westmorland Youth Orchestra paid tribute to a tragic First World War composer with a performance of Cecil Coles’ recently discovered Behind the Lines.

Coles, from Kirkcudbright, was killed in April 1918, aged only 29 while trying to rescue wounded colleagues.

The two surviving movements of the suite were found stored in an Edinburgh college a decade ago with the muddy manuscript still pockmarked with shrapnel.

The WYO did it justice, especially the second movement depicting a funeral cortege, with William White’s horn solos particularly haunting.

But this was just one highlight of a fascinating evening for the many who braved the snow to come out to Casterton School.

Noel Bertram’s inventive programming and persuasive baton gave us a rumbustious rendition of Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite No 2, complete with three saxophones, accordion and an array of percussion.

Before that, Libby Gibson, 16, was a poised and polished soloist in the Concertino for Flute by that rarest of creatures, a female composer, Cecile Chaminade, negotiating the swoops and flourishes with aplomb.

The 'welcome' music came in the shape of some beautifully precise singing from Casterton Phoenix choir and two dazzling piano solos.

Oliver Wates