DEVIZES FESTIVAL 2003: YOUNG local violinist Georgia Browne played an outstanding opening concert for the Devizes Festival fringe at St John's Church on Sunday afternoon.

She was accompanied by Tom Hartley on piano.

These two Bristol University music students played a programme of Bach, Mozart, Elgar and Svendson.

In a most assured performance, Miss Browne demonstrated her outstanding musical feeling and tone in this varied programme.

Tom Hartley, with breathtaking piano playing technique, played the Prokofiev Piano Sonata in F minor to great acclaim from the audience.

Miss Browne then showed her musical versatility by playing Making Whoopee and Sweet Georgia Brown in the jazz style of Stephane Grappelli.

Her love of Irish music also shone with her delightful playing of a selection of jigs and tunes.

The large audience would not let her off the stage and she returned to play an encore of gypsy music accompanied by her father, Tim Browne, on accordion.

Rarely can a musician have displayed such a high standard of playing in such a variety of musical styles in a single concert. This was a concert not to be missed.

The full fringe programme is in the festival brochure, available at outlets throughout the town.