We are delighted to confirm that we are returning to Sudbury Arts Centre in St Peter's for this concert, the first one there since November 2019. To celebrate our debut concert in Sudbury’s newest 700 year old venue the orchestra we will be performing Bruch’s First Violin Concerto with soloist Michael Foyle. Michael is stepping in for our previously booked soloist who could no longer make the concert but we are super excited that he is coming to Sudbury. We are also performing Dvorak's 5th Symphony and Mendelssohn's Ruy Blas (pronounced Ree Blass) overture - both great pieces of music.
Michael Foyle, born in 1991, launched his career by winning The Netherlands Violin Competition 2016. He gave a performance of Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No.1 with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra which led to an immediate invitation to give his debut in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. In recent seasons he has made concerto debuts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra and many other great orchestras. In recital, he regularly appears in the UK’s most prestigious venues, including Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Buckingham Palace, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Bridgewater Hall and Usher Hall. We are really lucky he is coming to Sudbury, he is most likely going to be the finest violinist that ever came to Sudbury.
Bruch's First Violin Concerto: This work is a bit of an enigma, Bruch has relatively few orchestral works that have survived and are still played. He was primarily famous during his lifetime for his choral works and while not composing he was a teacher, conductor and violinist. He was chief conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic Society's orchestra and chorus for three seasons from 1879. The First VIolin Concerto was first sketched out in 1857, was first heard in 1865 and after revisions by both Bruch and amendments by Joseph Joachim (the most significant violinist of the 19th century) it was published in the form we now know. The concerto was an instantaneous success, and its sweetly melancholy strains have retained their hold on listeners and grateful virtuosos to this day. Very sadly Bruch's life ended in destitution in 1920 as the First World War meant he could not find work or collect royalties on his works.
Dvorak's Fifth Symphony: This was composed over just five weeks in 1875 when Dvorak was in his early 30s. Its not yet full of the folk music of his native Bohemia (now western Czech Republic) but it is certainly a pastoral symphony until the finale when it goes all loud, brassy and fun. Before we get to the finale there are some really delightful wind passages and for the clarinets this is a wonderful wonderful symphony full of lovely liquid lines and fun interjections. This is just a lovely symphony to sit back and enjoy as the music washes over you.
Mendelssohn's Ruy Blas Overture: Mendelssohn was commissioned to write this overture but did not really want to. He eventually did, in just four days. This has mature Mendelssohn written all over it, inspired orchestration and original sounds. Its fast, furious, interrupted by some lovely tuneful passages and above all, its great fun.
Ticket info: Tickets cost just £15 for adults and £2 for children (16 and under) and are available now from the Sudbury Tourist Office (in the Town Hall) and Peddars (lovely gentlemen's outfitters just by St Peter's). Online tickets are available from TicketSource. As usual a limited number of tickets will be available on the door.
More info?: Do please email me on info@sudburysymphonyorchestra.com if you have any questions on the concert.