THE Ten Tors Orchestra autumn and winter concert series begins with Mystery and Romance at St Peter's Church, North Tawton on Saturday September 22.

The guest soloist is mezzo-soprano Joanne Thomas. Joanne recently completed opera studies at London Royal Schools Opera, but she has already a list of stage performances with Welsh National Opera, Clonter Opera and at Sydney Opera House.

She represented Wales in this year's Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Joanne will sing the vocalise in Clive Jenkins' new piece 'White Bird', arias from Purcell's opera 'Dido and Aeneas' and Arne's Shakespeare Songs with the orchestra.

Top British composer, Sir Malcolm Arnold will be the guest of honour on Saturday, October 13 at Dartington Hall.

Simon Ible, the orchestra's artistic director, said: 'Sir Malcolm Arnold celebrates his 80th on October 20.

'We are delighted to invite Sir Malcolm, a patron of the Ten Tors Orchestra, to this concert. He will be coming to hear us perform two of his pieces, the concerto for two violins and the Symphony for Strings.'

The guest soloist is the acclaimed violinist Nona Liddell who will be joined by one of Ten Tors own, Catherine Hayek, for the Arnold concerto. Nona, who was for many years director of the London Bach Orchestra, will also perform J S Bach's E major violin concerto.

The 2001 season ends at St Eustachius Church, Tavistock on Saturday December 22, 7.30pm, where the orchestra will be performing its annual Christmas concert joined by the Ten Tors Choir.

The soloist is tenor Andrew Kennedy. He was a choral scholar at Kings College Cambridge and has already established an international reputation for his interpretation of English song. He will sing the moving and evocative Dies Natalis by Gerald Finzi. He will also join the choir to sing excerpts from Handel's Messiah. The Choir will sing carols by John Rutter and the audience is also invited to sing traditional carols. The concert will end with Lehar's Gold and Silver Waltz; the perfect start to Christmas.

For further information about the orchestra and concerts being performed, please telephone Karen Ible 01566 783138 or email [email protected]">[email protected] or visit the Ten Tors Orchestra website at http://www.tentorsorchestra.co.uk">www.tentorsorchestra.co.uk