Royal performance for Westbury teenager

A WESTBURY teenager’s composition has been played to the Queen, with the fanfare welcoming Her Majesty into Salisbury Cathedral during last week’s Royal Jubilee visit.
Lydia Shephard, aged 13, was present at the event and also met the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh. Lydia’s composition ‘Solero’ was selected in a county-wide competition to compose a celebratory fanfare. Lydia said, “The orchestra played my fanfare as the Queen entered the cathedral, it was just the brass section. The Queen entered and I was waiting in line to meet her, next to the Bishop and the Dean. “She asked me why I called it ‘Solero’ and I said it was because it was based on Ravel’s ‘Bolero’, and I was thinking of the sun lighting up behind the stones at Stonehenge. ‘Sol’ in Latin means sun, so ‘sol’ and ‘Bolero’ make ‘Solero’. “I got to talk to Prince Philip as well, he asked me if I play and I said yes, the violin. I never thought I was going to win the competition and I was really surprised when I found out. It was a great experience and a great honour to actually meet the Queen. I was thrilled when I found out and it was all really exciting!” After her composition had been played, Lydia, who is also a talented violinist, joined in with the Wiltshire and Swindon Youth Orchestra (WSYO), of which she is a member. Valerie Hayward, head of the music service at Wiltshire Council said, “Lydia has had considerable success in her music, joining the WSYO at the age of 10 and taking part in its tour to China in 2010. In spite of being diagnosed with scoliosis, she is determined to play the violin and piano and to compose music. “Our congratulations go out to her for winning this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Lydia’s composition will be featured again in July during the celebrations as the Olympic Torch passes through Salisbury. And spurred on by her success, Lydia says she will continue to do much more composing in the future.