A thousand-strong audience of Bradford schoolchildren experienced the excitement of the Primary Proms at St George’s Hall yesterday.

The free concert was organised by national music charity Music for Youth to inspire a new generation of children to take up performing.

The young audience enjoyed listening to some of West Yorkshire’s most accomplished musicians, including Bradford’s Junior Brass Band and the Beckfoot Samba band.

Lynn Simmonds, Music for Youth’s development manager, said: “This is a great chance for the performers to experience a truly professional production in a beautiful hall. As well as entertaining, it is about local musicians performing to local young people to inspire them to get into music.”

Members of the Bradford Junior Brass Band, who are aged between seven and 14, said they were a “nervous but excited” about the show and were looking forward to the crowd’s reaction.

Conductor Morgan Griffiths said: “It’s a very proud moment to play in our home town. We have taken part in the national youth championships, but this is probably our biggest hall and audience. The children probably won’t realise it until they get out there.”

The Beckfoot Samba band, which has experienced playing at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in the past, had 17 year-old Suraj Soren leading its performance.

“Samba is a great release and a love of music is what has brought our group together,” he said. “We just hope the audience get in to what we do.”