Elizabeth Wyer, 14, and her brother, Edward, 12, are accomplished violinists who do not brag about their talent.

For years they have performed with the Bermuda Philharmonic Society; this week they are off to England for separate week-long residential camps with the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain.

Elizabeth has also received a music scholarship that will allow her to return to Britain in September to attend Oakham School.

The siblings insist on describing what they do as a hobby.

“It definitely is a really fun thing,” said Elizabeth. “It just helps that we’ve been practising for many years.

“The National Orchestras you have to audition for, so [at the beginning of the year] we don’t know if we will get it or not but it’s always exciting when we hear.”

She and her brother took up violin with the encouragement of their mother Joanna Sherratt Wyer, a long-time cello player with the Bermuda Philharmonic.

Elizabeth was two when she had her first lesson; Edward was a year older. Both are taught at the Bermuda School of Music by Breanna Thornton.

“I think my mom and our violin teacher kind of told us about the National Children’s Orchestras camps,” said Elizabeth. “My first audition was when I was eight, and I’ve been doing it every year since. So you audition every year and hope that you get in every year.”

The programme consists of three symphony orchestras who meet for two week-long residentials in the spring and summer school holidays, culminating in “astounding concerts in public concert venues”.

Elizabeth is part of the Main Orchestra and is in her final year of the programme. The pandemic prevented Edward from applying until this year; he participated in his first camp this past spring.

“I think I chose violin because there's so many options with it,” he said. “In an orchestra there are multiple sections. You can switch and you can experience the melody and have a supporting harmony.”

Elizabeth thinks that she likely was drawn to the instrument because “it was just the easiest thing at two years old to start learning”.

Both fell in love with the instruments “right away” although they admit that regular practise required “a little bit of coercing” from their mother.

Edward admitted that because he followed his sister into the National Children’s Orchestra, the audition was “a tiny bit stressful”.

“But it was nice to know that I could audition this time. And it was really nice when I got in because my sister had been talking about it and said it was really amazing. I just wanted to experience it first-hand and see what it was. And it turned out to be the thing I dreamt of.”

Because of their age difference, they will not be at camp at the same time although their camps happen in the same place. Elizabeth’s is first; Edward’s is a week later.

“They went in April as well so for most years it’s two courses, two residential weeks, and they do a performance in big concert venues,” said Dr Sherratt Wyer.

“And then Elizabeth this year has a show again in November because that's what the Main Orchestra does, a concert in London in November.”

The NCO camp was not their first. In 2019 they attended Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan for its orchestra programme.

“It’s a sleepaway performing arts camp in the US,” said Elizabeth. “So we did two weeks in 2019 in the junior division and then last year we both went for six weeks in the intermediate division.”

Neither the former Bermuda High School student nor her brother, a student at Warwick Academy, is considering music as a possible profession.

“Maybe when I was younger I considered it as a career, maybe as a teacher, but now I don't think [so],” said Elizabeth. “But I definitely want to keep doing violin through my life because it's offered me so many great opportunities and it's just so much fun.

“As we get older, we are starting to understand that the more practice we do, the more you're going to do better.

“And you learn so many valuable skills from being a musician, like being a key player. Playing in orchestra is hard. You have to learn how to play with other people. I think all young people should get involved with music because it's very beneficial.”

• For more information on the Bermuda Philharmonic Society, visit bermudaphilharmonic.org. Learn more about the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain at rb.gy/02tdm