Helensburgh Orchestral Society has announced the appointment of Leon Reimer as its new conductor.

Leon, who studied orchestral conducting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, is busy helping the orchestra’s members prepare for their first public concert since the start of the pandemic, taking place at the Victoria Halls at 7.45pm on Sunday, March 27.

Leon, who is passionate about community music and education, with many engagements with youth and community music groups across Scotland, is already a familiar face for musicians in Helensburgh, as the musical director of the Lomond and Clyde Community Orchestra.

He said: “I’m very excited to have been offered the opportunity to work with this wonderful group of musicians and can’t wait to get started.”

The spring concert will include Schumann’s Symphony No 3 (Rhenish) and Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture, while young local player Fergus Butt will also appear as the soloist in Weber’s Bassoon Concerto.

Hilary Smithers, president of Helensburgh Orchestral Society, said: “Orchestra members are really enjoying playing together again, and we are excited to be preparing for our first concert with Leon.”

There will be a collection in aid of charities helping the humanitarian disaster in Ukraine after the concert.

The orchestra rehearses at the Victoria Halls on Monday nights, and there are currently vacancies in the upper strings and brass sections.

For details of how to join, and further details of the concert, see helensburgh-orchestra.co.uk.