Yehudi Menuhin School pupils are practising harder than ever to prepare for the school’s summer concert series.

The concert series, held in the Menuhin Hall, gives an opportunity to hear pupils of all ages and on all the instruments taught at the school, playing as soloists across the four days of concerts.

The concerts are a celebration of all the music-making that goes on throughout the year and gives the audience the chance to witness pupils’ development.

The repertoire presented includes well-known pieces such as Beethoven’s Romance in F and Chopin’s Scherzo No 3 and Ballade No 1, as well as a number of show-pieces.

Each year, a student also comes up with something slightly different and this year, one pupil is playing a piece by well-known conductor Andre Previn.

Cathy Whitnall, music administrator, explains students perform their pieces before a panel of teachers in instrumental assessments a week before the concert.

Most students play as duos, either with piano or guitar accompanying, pianists and guitarists will have their own solos and several violinists also play unaccompanied.

Whitnall says: “Since our pupils come from all over the world, it is not always easy for parents to get to our concerts.

“However, the summer festival is a very special occasion when parents make a real effort to come and hear their children perform, this year from as far away as Singapore, Taiwan and Canada.

“There is a real ‘festival’ feel to these concerts. The pupils’ excitement in performing, and their parents’ enjoyment of each performance, spreads through the entire audience.”

Last year’s summer festival was praised by American violinist Laurie Niles who said she saw some “wonderful performances and couldn’t begin to describe them all”.

Every pupil in the school performs in one of these concerts, and so the audience is guaranteed to hear a wide variety of instruments.

The Yehudi Menuhin School summer festival concerts; The Menuhin Hall, Cobham Road, Stoke d’Abernon; June 27 to June 30; Shows start 7.30pm and weekend matinees at 2pm; £17.50; call 08700 842020 or visit menuhinhall.info.