THE Ten Tors Orchestra is launching its fifth anniversary season next month. The chamber orchestra gave its first concert in Tavistock in December 1998.
Five years on, and around 60 concerts later, the ensemble is recognised as the region?s foremost professional orchestra with an all year series of events at venues around Devon and Cornwall.
The Ten Tors Orchestra will celebrate its fifth birthday in flamboyant style with a Gala Christmas Concert with the Ten Tors Choir in Tavistock on December 20. The guest soloist is baritone Eddie Wade who will be taking a break from Glyndebourne Touring Opera?s production of La Traviata to perform arias by Handel, Mozart and Verdi.
The festive programme includes Haydn?s Symphony ?The Bear? and Strauss? Blue Danube Waltz. There is also an opportunity for the audience to join in the singing of traditional carols. This is always a fabulous event setting a sparkling start to Christmas.
The Ten Tors Orchestra 2003/2004 autumn and winter concert series opens in Witheridge, North Devon, on September 6 and features Vivaldi?s The Four Seasons.
Autumn Fanfare is the title for the orchestra?s concert in Bude, Cornwall on September 13, when the featured soloist is trumpeter David Shead performing concertos by Telemann and Handel. This programme also features the new Three Bridges Concerto by Andrew Wilson. It is inspired by the spirit of Dartmoor rivers and scored for four soloists.
The Ten Tors Orchestra Chamber Ensemble will perform at Ivybridge Methodist Church on September 19. The group of seven principal string players from the orchestra will perform quartets, sextets and septets by English and Czech composers Elgar, Grainger, Bridge, Martineau and Suk. The programme will also introduce guest solo counter-tenor James Huw Jeffries who will perform Vivaldi?s riveting motet Nisi Dominus.
The brilliant Malaysian pianist Bobby Chen is the soloist in Plymouth on February 7 2004 performing Beethoven?s 2nd Piano Concerto. The concert is titled Peace and Contemplation. These themes are evoked within two atmospheric and moving pieces: Aaron Copland?s Quiet City and Thea Musgrave?s Aurora. Mozart?s 40th Symphony with its poignant opening movement and uplifting Minuet and Trio completes this event dedicated to world peace and brotherhood.
Ten Tors Orchestra artistic director and conductor Simon Ible said: ?This season?s repertoire celebrates the great classical composers but also includes so much new music. We have the grand old masters, Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Mozart and Haydn set alongside 20th century innovators Copland, Ireland, Bridge, Martineau and Suk.
?We also have contemporary music by Ben Bartlett, Andrew Wilson, Stevie Wishart and Thea Musgrave. I think I would describe these concerts as exciting, challenging moving, enriching and entertaining. I can hardly believe we can pack so much music into just six events.?
For further information contact the Ten Tors Orchestra office on 01566 783138, email: [email protected]">[email protected]. Internet: http://www.tentorsorchestra.co.uk">www.tentorsorchestra.co.uk