TVYO Staff
We are very fortunate to have a wonderful team of teachers who guide the students as they work together on the challenging and exciting repertoire. The team will be lead led by our Conductor and Musical Director, Caroline Hobbs-Smith, who will choose the repertoire and train the orchestra during the full rehearsals.
South African born flautist and conductor, Caroline Hobbs-Smith has always been passionate about youth music and particularly the transformative power of orchestral playing in enriching the lives of young people.
After graduating from the Royal College of Music London with an MMus specialising in flute performance in 1991, she returned to South Africa where she played with the National Symphony Orhcestra and began conducting through establishing the National School of the Arts Youth Orchestra - the first truly integrated orchestra in a newly emerging democratic South Africa.
In 1998, Caroline emigrated to the UK where she continued to develop her passions for performing, teaching and conducting. Over the past 15 years she has conducted the Oxfordshire School's Symphony Orchestra (touring and residential), special award winners in the National Festival for Youth, and toured with them to Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Slovenia, Italy and the Czech Republic. As conductor of the Oxfordshire Youth Flute Choir, she performed in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at their Diamond Jubilee Tea Party in Henley.
Caroline is currently guest conductor for the National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain, the Kent County Youth Orchestra and the Isis Chamber Orchestra. Other invitations have included the Birmingham Schools' Symphony Orchestra, the Derbyshire Schools' Symphony Orchestra, the All Saints' Singers Sutton Courtenay and the the Festival Children's Chorus and Orchestra for the Music at Oxford Avro Part Festival 2022
Caroline is delighted to be taking on the role of musical director and conductor for the Thames Vale Youth Orchestra from Spetember 2023.
South African born flautist and conductor, Caroline Hobbs-Smith has always been passionate about youth music and particularly the transformative power of orchestral playing in enriching the lives of young people.
After graduating from the Royal College of Music London with an MMus specialising in flute performance in 1991, she returned to South Africa where she played with the National Symphony Orhcestra and began conducting through establishing the National School of the Arts Youth Orchestra - the first truly integrated orchestra in a newly emerging democratic South Africa.
In 1998, Caroline emigrated to the UK where she continued to develop her passions for performing, teaching and conducting. Over the past 15 years she has conducted the Oxfordshire School's Symphony Orchestra (touring and residential), special award winners in the National Festival for Youth, and toured with them to Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Slovenia, Italy and the Czech Republic. As conductor of the Oxfordshire Youth Flute Choir, she performed in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at their Diamond Jubilee Tea Party in Henley.
Caroline is currently guest conductor for the National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain, the Kent County Youth Orchestra and the Isis Chamber Orchestra. Other invitations have included the Birmingham Schools' Symphony Orchestra, the Derbyshire Schools' Symphony Orchestra, the All Saints' Singers Sutton Courtenay and the the Festival Children's Chorus and Orchestra for the Music at Oxford Avro Part Festival 2022
Caroline is delighted to be taking on the role of musical director and conductor for the Thames Vale Youth Orchestra from Spetember 2023.