MORE than 500 people attended a recent classical concert in Taunton to mark the launch of a unique musical collaboration.

The Southern Sinfonia has become Orchestra-in-Residence at Queen's College - believed to be the only partnership of its kind in the UK.

As part of the agreement, the Sinfonia will perform concerts in the Queen’s Hall and these started with a performance with world-renowned classical guitarist Craig Ogden.

He played Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez as well as Mozart’s overture to ‘Don Giovanni’ and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (‘Eroica’).

Each concert will have associate events open to musicians from across the region.

The concert featured a classical guitar masterclass given to local youngsters by Craig Ogden followed by an open rehearsal where he performed the Concierto de Aranjuez with the Southern Sinfonia in preparation for the evening concert.