TOWNS and villages in and around the North York Moors will be alive with music during Easter Week.

Members of the North York Moors Chamber Orchestra are touring the area with a programme that features music by Mendelssohn and Stravinsky.

The orchestra, founded by conductor Xenophon Kelsey ten years ago, brings together some of the UK's best young players from 16 to 23.

They include students from music colleges and universities, as well as from specialist music schools and sixth-forms.

The North York Moors Chamber Orchestra is part of the Vacation Chamber Orchestras, which meet in holidays for an intensive period of coaching and performance.

Mr Kelsey said: "The members of the orchestra work hard to achieve the highest standards in the comparatively short times they are together, and are really looking forward to performing in so many varied venues around the North York Moors."

The tour begins in Saltburn's Emmanuel Church on Easter Monday, April 12, then goes to St Hilda's RC Church, Whitby, on the Tuesday, St Peter and St Paul Church, Pickering, on Wednesday; St Mary's Priory, Old Malton, on Thursday; St Nicholas' Church, Guisborough, on Friday and ends at Sowerby, St Oswald's Church, on Saturday. April 17.

All performances begin at 7.30pm and tickets are £8 or £5 concessions.