Hundreds turn out for Oldham Music Centre Summer Festival.

Hundreds of spectators enjoyed an array of free musical performances across Oldham town centre during Saturday’s Oldham Music Centre Summer Festival.

With more than 40 performances from brass bands, guitarists, orchestras, rock bands and choirs to name just a few, the festival went down an absolute treat with residents who basked in the sunshine throughout.

Some of Oldham’s most talented musicians were on show, from very young beginners through to advanced students who are about to embark upon University and jobs which relate to the music industry.

However, the day started a bit earlier for the Youth Orchestra, as they represented Oldham on stage at Symphony Hall in Birmingham for the finals of the National Festival of Music for Youth. 

Playing a mixture of classical favourites, including the epic finale from Respighi’s ‘Pines of Rome’ and the wonderful Nimrod from Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations’, the group immediately headed back up the M6 after their performance to do it all again in Oldham.

The success of the Summer Festival follows on from Oldham Schools' Music Festival which received similar plaudits at the end of June.

Taking place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, more than 2,000 local primary and secondary musicians from across the borough took part in the week-long non-competitive festival – with around 90 performances in total from a range of bands, choirs orchestras and more.