The Northland Sinfonia Orchestra will feature two of Whangarei's brightest young stars in a performance for all ages at Forum North's Winter Arts Festival which begins next week. Violinist Ngaruaroha Martin ,16, and actress Charlotte Crossfield,16, are set to charm audiences with music as mixed as Harry Potter, Hansel and Gretel,and Prokofiev's narrated tale of Peter and the Wolf. The promising pair are grateful for the opportunity to perform and conductor Nigel Harrison is equally pleased to have them on board. "Ngaru is an exceptional young violinist. Her talent is potentially enormous. "She is a very bright, seriously cool, young lady. "And Charlotte is very artistic and doing very well. She has a lot going for her in the future and we are lucky to have her," he said. Four-time winner of a $1000 scholarship, Miss Martin will play the lilting Rondo capriccioso by Saint Saens and is looking forward to the performance. "I like performing in front of people. It's nerve-racking but cool. You get to show people what you can do." But even amidst the applause Miss Martin said she always looks for her parents in the audience who are her most discerning critics and the ultimate confirmation that she has done well. Miss Crossfield, who will narrate Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, is passionate about performing and said she has been from day one. "I'm a born drama queen." Awarded best actor at the prestigious Sheila Winn Shakespeare Festival, Miss Crossfield also played the lead role in Pompallier Catholic College's performance of Rock around the Block. "I want to make people think, rather than just entertain. I want to play kooky roles and I like freshening things up. "Narrating Peter and the Wolf and working in with the orchestra is a good challenge for me," she said. Mr Harrison said the concert was aimed at families and young people and said the girls would provide "great encouragement for other youngsters". While the focus is on youth, the 35-strong orchestra numbers among its members a well-versed performer. Veteran violinist Laurie Wordsworth , 84, has been a member of the Sinfonia for more than 50 years and will be joined by his grandson Jason Wordsworth, 16, who will play percussion. The concert is part of the Youth Weekend of the Forum North Winter Arts Festival. It will be held at the Capitaine Bougainville Theatre, Forum North on July 25 at 3pm and again in Kerikeri on August 2.
