Get wind of this!

Yet in the first year of its formation, the orchestra managed to attract an audience of 1,000 to its first concert in the Petaling Jaya Civic Hall - more people than you can fit in Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Kuala Lumpur.

Two more concerts followed in 1995, and in 1996, a decision was made to organise the annual Peninsular Youth Symphony (PYS) Camp and Concert to meet the demand of musicians pining for an orchestral experience.

"The PJS is an orchestra for Klang Valley-based musicians. The PYS gives musicians outside the valley a chance to audition, secure a place, sit for classes by professionals and go on a concert tour," said Siow.

NSO conductor Takahisa Ota was one of the tutors at the first camp and concerts were held in KL, Ipoh, Malacca and Penang.

In March 1997, the PJS held a Back to Classics concert in KL with an even bigger audience that attended its first concert.

Four months later, they organised a Japan Pre-Tour Concert to raise money for 45 musicians to attend the Seventh Japan Internationale Youth Musicale in August the same year.

There they held many concerts and joined musicians from Canada, Switzerland, Spain and Japan for a concert before Prince Tomohito and Princess Nobuka of Mikasa.

The second camp was held in December 1997, this time sponsored by the Culture and Arts Ministry, the Youth Sports Council Malaysia and Rakan Muda.

The first was sponsored by its patron Datuk Paduka Saleha Mohd Ali. The third will be sponsored by Malaysian Youth Orchestra Foundation chairman Mirzan Mahathir.

We're standing tall with our oh-so original hats...Some participants of the '97 PYS camp with Eric Lee in the centre.

Last year, the PJS took part in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 16th Commonwealth Games and 10 of its members were in the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra.

To close the year, the third PYS camp was held and marked with a gala concert in Kuala Lumpur in December.

This Saturday, PJS will hold a Pre-China concert at the Auditorium Perdanasiswa, Universiti Malaya, KL.

The concert was to raise money for the group to attend the Second Beijing Band Festival next month, but without sponsors to bear most of the cost, this trip has been cancelled.

But the show must go on for the orchestra has rehearsed since last December. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the organisation of future concerts.

"It's very unfortunate," said Siow of the cancelled trip. "But we've resolved to let it go and look towards finding sponsors for the Eighth Japan International Youth Musicale next year."

The repertoire of Saturday's concert themed The Planets will be pieces from The Star Wars Saga (by John Williams), Jupiter from The Planets (Gustav Holst), The Lord of the Rings Symphony #1 (Johan de Meji) and Apollo 13 (James Horned).

Tickets are RM20 and RM30. For reservations, call Siow Ching Yee at 016-322 8318, Teng Kim Hueng at 016-330 4979 or Wong Hui Ling at 03-687 7372 (after 7pm).

What to bring? Mah tuba, of course! ... Participants of the 1997 Peninsular Youth Symphony Camp pose proudly with their polished-to-shine instruments.

We're standing tall with our oh-so original hats... Some participants of the '97 PYS camp with Eric Lee in the centre.

V for the very best - us, say the clarinet and bassoon section of the '97 PYS camp.

With a huff and a puff ... the French horn section during its gala concert last December.

A good turn-out at the gala concert last December.