London Schools Symphony Orchestra, Barbican, London

If the London Schools Symphony Orchestra was to be judged on its ethnic diversity, a few eyebrows might be raised: I counted only two black musicians, a poor representation of the city’s racial make-up. But if it is to be judged on artistic quality – the only factor that counts in any musical enterprise – there may be many more eyebrows raised in delight. The LSSO is seriously good, with a well-defined sense of corporate discipline. It represents musical education in the capital extremely well.

The fact that London’s concert life makes such a slow start to the year gives organisations such as the LSSO and PLG Young Artists a chance to profile themselves. What distinguished this concert was not just the exuberance of the playing or the charisma of Venezuelan conductor Carlos Izcaray, making his UK debut, but the astute choice of programme. It must be tempting for youth orchestras to have a go at the standard classics, but that invites comparisons with the performances London gets on a near-daily basis.

Instead, capitalising on Izcaray’s roots, the LSSO opted for a lively selection of music from the Americas that was as much fun to hear as it evidently was to play. It showcased the orchestra’s extrovert energy and sense of balance, and gave an outing to music that is hardly ever played in Britain. The main pieces were a suite from Ginastera’s ballet Estancia, Castellanos’s symphonic suite Santa Cruz de Pacairigua and Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Whenever rhythmic precision or communal self-expression was needed, the LSSO proved the equal of any youth orchestra. As soon as the music turned soft or slow, individual sections became reluctant to expose themselves.

Fortunately, those moments were few, and section leaders – notably principal trumpet Katie Smith – played with assurance and flair. The most problematic piece was the most classical – Korngold’s Violin Concerto. With no awkward changes of metre and no stomping tempo, the orchestra could no longer shout “I got rhythm”. A subtler musicianship was required, which the soloist Matthew Trusler, intermittently provided.

www.barbican.org.uk