THE foundations of orchestral music have hardly changed in well over 60 years.

But once in a blue moon comes along a group of young musicians and young composers who bend these traditions and shape the future of the musical form.

In the case of this evening’s performance it was the mixture of the British Paraorchestra and the Army of Generals orchestra, who were demonstrating how bending sounds and creating an atmosphere can really change perceptions of orchestral music.

The Kraftwerk Re:werk show at the Anvil was all exactly that, changing perceptions.

Using Kraftwerk’s iconic Trans-Europe Express as their starting point composers Lloyd Coleman and Charlotte Harding aim to take their audience on an electronic journey through the 70s like never before.

But before we get there conductor for the evening, Charles Hazlewood, lays out what has led these two orchestras to this point.

In the first half of the show Hazlewood acts as story teller, informing the audience how the pieces they are about to play have helped create the Kraftwerk Re:werk piece.

These four pieces were more along the traditional lines of orchestral music, but all had specific soundscapes which the composers drew from to create the desired sound.

In particular Schnittke’s Moz-Art a la Haydn was a striking piece performed just by the string section, but as the music came to its crescendo each player slowly left the stage with the sound floating off, leave cellists Thomas Wraith, Hattie McCall Davies and double bass player Hannah Turnball along on the stage in darkness with the echoing sound of the strings reverberating around the theatre.

Then came the main event, and even if you are not a fan of orchestral music I would bet you would be a fan of Kraftwerk Re:werk.

A blend of 70s synth with classical string music all turned up to 11. There were elements of that iconic Kraftwerk sound sprinkled throughout the performance, but this was the German’s music as you have never heard it.

The orchestra didn’t skip a beat and the way they changed tempos within the blink of an eye was incredible and just from glancing at the stage you could tell every single member was enjoying themselves.

If this is the way the future of orchestral music is going, then count me in.