CONCERTS

HSO is delighted to present its summer concert in the beautiful surroundings of St Mary’s Church, Henley-on-Thames, with our newly appointed Music Director, Alex Walker. Amongst many other musical achievements, Alex is a recipient of the prestigious Elgar Medal for his advocacy of Elgar’s music, both in the UK and Eastern Europe. Indeed, the concert at Cadogan Hall marking this award included a performance of the Elgar Violin Concerto with tonight’s soloist.

Since her triumphant debut at Wigmore Hall, Alda Dizdari has appeared at all the major concert venues in the UK and has been a regular guest on BBC Radio 3. Now a British citizen, Alda was born into a family of musicians and left her native Albania at an early age to pursue her career in music. In 2015 she embarked on a tour promoting Elgar’s Violin Concerto in Eastern Europe including giving the premiere in her native country. She recorded her journey in a book: “Kiss Me Again; A Memoir of Elgar in Unusual Places”. With Alex Walker as conductor, she has performed and recorded the concerto in Moscow with Musica Viva Orchestra. Alda lives in London and combines her passion for performing with teaching at both the Guildhall and Purcell School of Music.

Nielsen composed his Helios Overture in 1903 after accompanying his sculptress wife on a trip to Athens. His stay inspired him to write this most popular of his works, depicting the sun rising and setting majestically over the Aegean Sea.

Sibelius’ last symphony, the Seventh, absorbs the traditional four movements into a single, fascinating arch of music. Each section grows out of the previous one, developing the musical material into a truly organic whole. First performed in 1924, when it was called “Symphonic Fantasy”, Sibelius only called it a symphony after publication.

Elgar’s Violin Concerto is one of the summits of the romantic repertoire, a work of huge expressive range and expansive length. The violin was Elgar’s own instrument, and his Concerto is almost a personal confession, written on the instigation of Fritz Kreisler who gave its first triumphant performance in London in 1910 with Elgar conducting.