A Concert for the Countryside: Bristol Youth Orchestra Celebrate the Centenary of CPRE

 Bristol Youth Orchestra, with special guest Debbie Wiseman OBE, bring 100 years of rural England to life through music and film.

To mark 100 years of championing England’s countryside, The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) joins the Bristol Youth Orchestra to present a ‘Concert for the Countryside’, a powerful, one-night celebration of rural life told through live orchestral music and film.

Taking place at Bristol Beacon on Sunday 29 March 2026, this unique event tells the story of the countryside from 1926 to 2026. From moors and mountains to wetlands, woodlands and coastline, a compelling archive of film reflects the beauty of nature and the people whose lives have been shaped by it.

The Bristol Youth Orchestra, conducted by Musical Director, Tim Harrison, will take audiences on a musical journey through time, set against a stunning cinematic backdrop. From the landscapes of 1926 to the environmental challenges of today, the concert honours a century of rural heritage and showcases the positive action being led by CPRE and fellow conservation charities to shape a sustainable countryside for the next century.

The evening will feature the world premiere of a specially commissioned piece by Debbie Wiseman OBE, one of the UK’s leading composers and Classic FM’s Composer in Residence.  Known for her work on Wolf Hall, Father Brown and the Coronation of King Charles III, amongst so much more, Debbie Wiseman will conduct her new composition live with the orchestra. 

The programme also includes works by Ralph Vaughan Williams (excerpts from the Overture to the Wasps); Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, a pioneering Black British composer celebrated for his lyrical folk-inspired style (Ballade); Harrison J Collins, (A Page from the Book of Nature) and Sir Edward Elgar (the Adagio from the Cello Concerto and the Enigma Variations). 

As the music plays, film footage, curated by documentary filmmaker David Parker and oral historian and archive researcher Bob Pitt will trace the evolving story of England’s countryside: its landscapes, crafts and communities; its wartime resilience and post-war transformation, reflecting the urgent questions facing the countryside and the role we can all can play in its future.

As a living legacy of the event, 100 young trees were planted by members of the orchestra and CPRE volunteers to create a new centenary woodland within the new Lower Chew Forest. This initiative is closely tied to CPRE’s flagship ‘Hedgerow Heroes’ campaign, creating lasting connections between people, place and planet.

Sarah Pitt, Chair of CPRE Avon and Bristol, said: ‘This concert is about more than looking back. It’s about inspiring new generations to care about the countryside and take action to safeguard its future. We’re proud to partner with Bristol Youth Orchestra to tell this story in such a moving and memorable way.”

Debbie Wiseman commented: “It’s a privilege to be part of such a meaningful event. The countryside has always inspired composers, artists and writers and this film created by David Parker has truly inspired me. I’m very much looking forward to conducting my piece and hearing it played by these talented young musicians”.

Tim Harrison, Musical Director of Bristol Youth Orchestra said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with CPRE for this unique celebration of our countryside. Bringing together live English classical music with stunning film of our landscapes is a remarkable opportunity for our young musicians. It allows them not only to perform beautiful, exciting repertoire including a new commission by Debbie Wiseman and Elgar’s Enigma Variations, but also to connect more deeply with the countryside that inspires it.”

Adam Kent at Bristol Beacon added: “Bristol Beacon is proud to host this extraordinary event. It’s a celebration of creativity, community and connection – everything our city and our venue stand for. Seeing our youth orchestra centre stage in such an ambitious project is something really special.”

Concert for the Countryside is designed to be inclusive and welcoming – whether guests are classical music enthusiasts, those who care about the countryside or simply curious about the Bristol Youth Orchestra or the work of CPRE. 

Find out more and book tickets here