PARENTS who have gritted their teeth through the painful scrapings of an eight-year-old violinist know that enthusiasm, rather than excellence, is often the key characteristic of a youthful musical performance.

But where the decidedly youthful Southampton Pops Orchestra is concerned, a single, eye-opening performance is all that is needed to sweep away all those not-as-good-as-the-grown-ups preconceptions.

Made up of the cream of local youth orchestras, and with members aged eight to 20, the orchestra has built up a formidable reputation in the two years since it was formed.

Boasting a dedicated following of music-lovers, it is the only one of its kind locally dedicated to playing populist music - in the style of the Boston Pops Orchestra, after which it was named - to an exactingly high standard.

Fans of the youthful orchestra may already know what to expect, but newcomers are in for a real treat on Wednesday when the orchestra assembles at Central Hall, Southampton, for what promises to be its biggest and best show yet.

As well as the usual musical nuggets - which this time round include Chariots of Fire, Ravel's Bolero, a salute to the Big Apple and a mouth-watering selection box of Christmas favourites - the latest Pops extravaganza features some new elements, including a performance by the Irish dance group The Blair McCarthy Dancers and, for the first time, a singer, in the shape of 16-year-old Peter Symonds' College student Rebecca Dale.

Several musicians in the 80-strong orchestra, which was formed by professional musician Ron Armstrong (he is now its musical director), are also members of groups like the Southampton and Hampshire Youth Orchestras.

"They are the cream of Hampshire's young musicians," says Pops compere John Smith.

"The orchestra fills a gap that is not catered for by any other school orchestra. This is the seventh of the school orchestras in the city but, before us, there was nothing that covered the popular field of music like big band."

The orchestra plays an average of four concerts a year, often raising money for charity into the bargain.

Money raised from the Christmas concert will help fund a planned American tour next year.

"The orchestra has built up quite a following," says John.

"We see the same people coming back again and again. We get a lot of parents, but we've also now got quite a nice following of middle-aged people who like that sort of music."

* Southampton Pops Orchestra is at Central Hall, St Mary's Street, Southampton, on Wednesday at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost from £3.50 and are available on the door and in advance.

For more information, call the box office on 023 8055 5240.