On Saturday 19th May, the Alderley Edge orchestra will be performing a colourful programme of lively music, influenced by the folk and dance traditions of Britain, Europe and Russia.
The concert will open with Tchaikovsky's romantic and passionate 5th Symphony. Tchaikovsky said, after completing this masterpiece "I have come to the conclusion that it is a failure". History however, has proved him wrong. Full of wonderful melodies, this piece came to represent the idea of ultimate victory through strife during the Second World War. It was played by the Leningrad Radio Orchestra during the Siege of Leningrad on October 20th 1941 and broadcast live to London. As the second movement opened with its haunting horn solo, bombs began to fall nearby, but the orchestra continued to play until its final note. Hopefully, the Alderley performance will be less momentous but equally thrilling!
In the second half of the concert, the orchestra will display a range of English and European folk music, with Vaughan Williams English Folk Song Suite, Bartok Romaninan Dances, De Falla Spanish Dance, La Vida Breve and Saint-Saens Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. Remember those childhood songs with the Vaughan Williams and find your inner gypsy with the wild abandoned dances of the Bartok.
Our soloist for the Saint-Saens is brilliant young local violinist, Lily Whitehurst. Lily was born in Tenby, Pembrokeshire and is currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music. She has played with the BBC Philharmonic, The Halle, English National Ballet, Manchester Camerata and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. She featured in a BBC documentary at the 2012 BBC Proms.
For this May concert, the Alderley Edge Orchestra is delighted to welcome Orr Guy as its guest conductor. Orr was born in Israel and has won scholarships around the world, conducting orchestras in Israel, Germany and America. He is currently studying conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music. Orr said, "I am really looking forward to this challenging and exciting concert, featuring folklore from so many countries. It is a wonderful virtuosic programme."
The concert will take place at 7.30pm on Saturday 19th May in the Methodist Church in Alderley Edge, SK9 7DU. Tickets cost £10 for adults and £1 for under eighteens. Tickets will be available on the door or can be bought in advance through the website www.aeorchestra.org.uk or on the ticket hotline 01625 581321.
Guest post by Helen Hall.
