Episode 2
In episode 2 the five amateur orchestras have become four - and this week the musicians get to grips with opera. It's hard enough for professional orchestras to play with opera singers - how will the cheesemakers, lupin-growers, and GCSE students of our amateur orchestras cope?
Each orchestra - this week the North Devon Sinfonia, London Gay Symphony Orchestra, The People's Orchestra from Birmingham and Stirling Orchestra - get extra tuition and help from the series' judge, renowned conductor Paul Daniel, and double-bass maestro Chi-chi Nwanoku. We follow the orchestras as they attempt to do justice to the world's best loved arias, and keep up with their guest opera singers from the Royal Opera House's Jette Parker Young Artists Programme.
The show culminates in performances at the renowned Halle St Peter's Hall in Manchester, after which one orchestra will be eliminated from the contest by Daniel.
Presented by Proms host and last year's Strictly Come Dancing finalist Katie Derham, this series attempts to get under the skin of the real musical and personal challenges that face five amateur orchestras from across the UK as they attempt to truly come together and rise to new musical heights.
Can the players master their sheet music while also getting on with their varied days jobs as farmers, supermarket workers, carers and undertakers? Who will rise to the challenge? And who will find themselves dismissed from the contest?
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