FOUR musically gifted students from Whitecross School have been showing off their talents in front of an international audience in Slovenia.

George Stratford, Liam Jones, Kelsey Davies, Eva Ambler Davies and two teachers travelled through snowstorms to the Osnova Sola school in Mislinja to join students from five European countries to showcase their skills and share cultures.

Whitecross School represents the UK on the Comenius MUSIC project (Music Used to Share International Culture), set up in 2010 to celebrate diversity and build relationships through music.

The students stayed with local families and took part in traditional music and craft workshops at their host school before performing in a grand concert attended by more than 200 people.

Trip organiser, Pat Ducker, head of Geography and International Links Organiser at Whitecross, said the musicians rose to the occasion: "Eva, Kelsey and Liam performed two songs including one from the forthcoming school production of 'Anything Goes'. George plays tuba and had made a DVD. They received amazing applause."

George, 14, comes from a family of brass band musicians. "It was good to see what other schools are like and what they do differently," he said. "The Slovenian students wear slippers to school!"

All four students made firm friendships in Slovenia. "I'm keeping in touch with a lot of them over email and facebook," said Liam, 12.

Kelsey, 11, said: "My biggest memory was meeting my host Tiasha and her amazing family and bright yellow house. Also, the (Postojna) Caves were amazing, a hundred times bigger than Clearwell!"

Mrs Ducker, who was accompanied by Head of Performing Arts Sarah Hall, added: "It's fantastic to be able to take students to totally different places and a great opportunity for children from the Forest of Dean. They benefit enormously from the experience of meeting people from other nations and cultures, and realising that it's a big world out there."

•Anything Goes is being performed this Thursday (March 31) and Friday (April 1) at 7pm, Whitecross School. To find out more, contact the school.