Arutiunian’s Trumpet Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s ‘Little Russian’ Symphony
We welcome back soloist Sasha Canter (a Classic FM 2025 Rising Star) to play Arutiunian's Trumpet Concerto, the piece he played to win the 2022 BBC Young Musician of the Year Brass final. We open with Smetana's 'Vltava' and 'Šárka' from Má Vlast, and Honeggar's Pastorale d'été. The second half is Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2 in C minor ('Little Russian'). We are conducted by Caroline Hobbs-Smith.
Fixed future dates
Sat 27th June (for tickets see above): A recent REVIEW of Sasha’s performance with Folkestone Synphoney Orchestra by David Burridge:
Not many people in the audience will have known Arutiunian’s Trumpet Concerto written in 1950 but the astonishing performance by the soloist Sasha Canter will have left an indelible memory for everyone. His first sounding of the main motif left us in no doubt as to his approach to the music.
He lives and breathes it with total commitment and his amazing technique allows him to revel in the sound world of Russian and Armenian folk music, with its soulful, beautiful melodies and exciting double-tonguing fireworks suiting him well. The Trumpet became his dance partner as he moved around the performance space in such an animated way. The orchestra knew that they were part of something extraordinary and performed the expansive score with sheer joy.
Brass instruments are notoriously difficult to handle in solo situations and any brass players in the audience will have been stunned by how this fearless young soloist could be so perfect. Not in a clinical way, but as a mature young artist at the top of his artistic powers.
Mon 7th Sep 26: Handel’s Messiah
The Japanese Handel Choir, conducted by Hideyuki Tsuji.
Venue: Sheldonian
Sat 26th Sep 26: Tchaikovsky’s Rococo variations
Cellist Kosta Popović joins us to play Tchaikovsky’s Rococo variations. Rest of programme is Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony, Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutti overture and Schumann’s 2nd Symphony, all conducted by Dexter Drown
Venue: St Mary’s Church, High St, Oxford
Sat 10th Oct 26: Verdi’s Requiem
Conductor James Longstaffe, with the East Oxford Community Choir, Bonn Choir and others
Oxford Town Hall
Sat 30th Jan 27: Korngold ‘Lieder des Abschieds’ and Mahler 4
Conductor Robert Weaver, soloist Rachel Nichols
Sheldonian Theatre