Violin star Nigel Kennedy took time out after his concert at the Bournemouth Pavilion to meet young members of the Coda Fiddle Orchestra.

Twenty youngsters from the orchestra, which is run by Christchurch-based Coda Music Trust and meets weekly at St Clements Church in Boscombe, chatted to the flamboyant fiddler backstage.

He signed autographs, posed for photographs and discussed music with the seven to 17-year-olds.

Kennedy, who is patron of the orchestra and a long-time friend of their teacher, former Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra co-leader Jack Maguire, had just performed a stunning two hour concert of Bach and Fats Waller.

The compelling mixture of baroque and jazz found Kennedy performing with drummer Krzysztof Dziedzic, double bass player Yaron Stavi and guitarist Rolf Bussalb.

The one-time enfant terrible of classical music had personally invited Coda members to attend and now hopes to work on future projects with the orchestra.

Fiddle Orchestra president Maurice Patterson said afterwards: “Nigel Kennedy was incredibly generous with his time and genuinely interested in talking to the orchestra members. They found him an absolute inspiration.”

Kennedy and his band will now continue their tour which ends on September 7 when they appear as part of the Last Night of the Proms programme at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

It will be conducted by former Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra principal conductor Marin Alsop – the first woman to ever conduct the famous occasion.