Tchaikovsky was possibly the greatest of all Russian composers, and his Third String Quartet, heard here in a powerful new arrangement for string orchestra by Kenneth Woods, is one of his most beautiful and emotional works. The concert’s Russian theme also embraces the beautiful Concertino for Violin by Mieczysław Weinberg, whose 100^th birthday we celebrate in this performance by the ESO’s own Zoë Beyers, one of today’s leading violinists. The concert opens with Mozart’s evergreen A Little Night Music, and a great night of music it will be.

The ESO’s annual side-by-side performances with the Herefordshire Youth Orchestra have become one of the hottest tickets of the year. This time, the two orchestras join forces for Dvořák’s New World Symphony and Three Gifts by the ESO’s John McCabe Composer-in-Association, Adrian Williams. Written for the National Children’s Orchestra, it is a touching series of character portraits of three of Williams’ friends, each of whom is living with a disability of some kind. Continuing the ESO’s celebration of Beethoven at 250, Alexander Sitkovetsky, one of the greatest violinists of his generation, returns to the Shirehall stage for Beethoven’s monumental Violin Concerto.

Lots more in our ESO Webstore

2018 The Arts Desk 10 Best Recordings of the Year – Brahms Piano Quartet orch. Kenneth Woods
2017 Gramophone Magazine Critics’ Choice Recordings of the Year – Sawyers Symphony No. 3
2017 MusicWeb Opera Recording of the Year – Jane Eyre
2016 Sunday Times Recording of the Year – Krenek Piano Concertos Vol. 1
2015 Classical Music Magazine Premiere of the Year – Elgar Piano Quintet. orch. Donald Fraser

And many more!