Moments in Time: String Classics

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra makes its debut at the Great Hall with an evening of sumptuous string music, rarely performed in the U.K.  

Opening with George Walker’s Lyric for Strings, discover a composer who was the first African-American composer to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music. This work has been performed only four times in the UK. This evening will also include a rare performance of Grażyna Bacewicz’s Sinfonietta for String Orchestra, one of the greatest Polish composers of the twentieth century. The programme will also include the world premiere of the string orchestra version of Ian Venables' Portrait of Janis.  

In addition to these more rarely played works, are Sibelius’ Impromptu and Grieg’s invitation to dance in his Baroque-inspired Holberg Suite, while Britten’s Simple Symphony invokes the comfort of childhood memories, filled with a nostalgia that is echoed in Ian Venables’ tender Portrait of Janis. 

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra is a dynamic and versatile ensemble that performs across the UK and around the world. Alongside being the classical music programmer for Lancaster Arts, Michael Poll has performed and recorded three times with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, including premieres of new works. This is his debut with the Concert Orchestra.