4 March 2012 Last updated at 09:30 ET By Beth Rose BBC News

The chance to play with international musicians does not come along very often, especially if you packed your instrument away years ago thinking that your concert days were over.

But Music Nation changed that as 200 adults and children, including me and my father, came together as the BBC Devon and Cornwall Family Orchestra.

Joined by the BBC Concert Orchestra, the 270-strong group performed the world premiere of Tim Steiner's 'Hunter Gatherer'.

In under 30 hours, the four-movement piece - based around some of the region's folk songs including The Helston Furry Dance and Widdecombe Fair - was brought together, reflecting the South West and the musicians involved.

The final rehearsal, on the day of the concert, was the first time the Family Orchestras had played with the Concert Orchestra and, in short, it was the one chance for the 270 musicians to get it right.

While our rehearsals had been noisy and chaotic, things were very calm and measured at the BBC Concert Orchestra, where all conductor Matthew Coorey had to do was instruct sections to replay the odd bar.

Rehearsing with these professionals is an experience like no other - they create a sound so pitch perfect it is as though someone has turned on the radio.

But at no point did we run through the entire piece - that was left for the performance.

'Hunter Gatherer' is allegedly 15 minutes long, but it went in a flash as everyone played to the best of their ability while listening to the Concert Orchestra, following four conductors and absorbing the experience.

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Music Nation fulfils personal ambition