POLINA OSETINSKAYA

Polina Osetinskaya is riding on the crest of a wave professionally, having recently given a series of triumphant recitals at venues across Europe, an engagement that saw her perform three of Prokofiev’s piano concertos in a single concert. Accompanist to revered Soviet-born Israeli violinist Maxim Vengerov, she visits Shrewsbury for this Shropshire Music Trust concert prior to appearing with him at the Barbican Centre in London.

St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury, Friday 30 January

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BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR: MENDELSSOHN'S HYMN OF PRAISE

One of the city’s oldest musical groups here invites enthusiasts to join them in an afternoon workshop and informal performance of Mendelssohn’s Hymn Of Praise, which premiered in 1840. 

“We will be focused, of course, on the cantata part,” says Birmingham Bach Choir’s conductor, Paul Spicer, “singing in English, for which Mendelssohn assembled passages from Luther’s translation of the Bible that show the progression of light to darkness.

With fabulous choruses, soprano and tenor solos, and the familiar Now Thank We All Our God, this will be a rewarding sing for all who come.”

Selly Oak Methodist Church, Birmingham, Saturday 31 January

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BBC PHILHARMONIC - TCHAIKOVSKY'S FIFTH SYMPHONY

Residing at the Corporation’s Manchester home of Media City in Salford Quays, the BBC Philharmonic is no stranger to Stoke-on-Trent, regularly presenting Victoria Hall concert-goers with works from its impressive repertoire. 

This latest visit to the Potteries sees the orchestra getting to grips, in inevitably impressive style, with three much-loved works: Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Ravel’s Piano Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.

Adam Hickox conducts, pianist Elisabeth Brauss (pictured) is the soloist.

Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Friday 6 February

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BIRMINGHAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

One of the Midlands’ best known and most admired non-professional orchestras, the Birmingham Phil here perform Elgar’s Falstaff before taking on the challenge of Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony. 
The composition was written following the death of Joseph Stalin, during whose time as Russian leader Shostakovich had been forbidden to write any music which featured Western influences. The 10th Symphony is viewed as the work in which the composer first made moves to free himself from the creative shackles which Stalin had imposed upon him.     

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall, Sunday 8 February; Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Sunday 15 February

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GERARD FLOTATS & JULIAN CHAN IN CONCERT

Catalan cellist Gerard Flotats teams up with Malaysian pianist Julian Chan to present a programme of five works that chart ‘a fascinating emotional and historical journey’ through the cello’s expressive world, ‘from the fiery virtuosity of early 20th-century Spain [Gaspar Cassadó’s Suite For Solo Cello] to the radiant spirituality of Messiaen [Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus]’. 

The concert - which forms part of Ludlow Assembly Rooms’ Thursday Classical series - also features Mendelssohn’s Variations concertantes, Op17; Debussy’s Cello Sonata; and Brahms’ Cello Sonata No2 in F major, Op99. 

Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire, Thursday 12 February

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CZECH JANÁČEK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Boasting an impressively distinctive sound -  and with a history stretching back more than 70 years - the Janacek Philharmonic is nowadays making some serious waves on the international music scene. 
This month’s Birmingham stop-off sees the orchestra presenting a programme which begins with two excerpts from Janáček’s opera The Cunning Little Vixen. It also features Bruch’s First Violin Concerto, performed by the supremely talented Jennifer Pike (pictured). 

The concert concludes with Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony, a work which is also being performed (just three days later, in fact) by the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra.

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thursday 12 February

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HENSCHEL QUARTET

Described by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the best groups in the world”, German ensemble Henschel String Quartet return to Leamington for the 11th time, some 26 years after making their  debut in the town. 
This latest appearance sees them presenting a concert featuring two well-known compositions - Haydn’s String Quartet, Op64 No5 in D major, The Lark; and Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No6 in F minor, Op80. 
One less-familiar work - Freda Swain’s String Quartet No1 in E minor, Norfolk - is also included in the programme.

Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa, Friday 13 February

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PICCADILLY SINFONIETTA: VIVALDI BY CANDLELIGHT

Formed in 2017, Piccadilly Sinfonietta have established an impressive reputation for their performances of baroque and classical works for chamber orchestra. 
This candlelit Worcester Cathedral presentation of Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons sees the ensemble accompanied by renowned violinist Henry Chandler. 

Worcester Cathedral, Saturday 14 February

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EX CATHEDRA: THE SUN KING'S FAVOURITE

"This is a rare opportunity to hear live such extraordinarily lavish and sensational music,” explains Ex Cathedra’s founder, Jeffrey Skidmore, in talking about the ensemble’s Town Hall concert this month - an event marking the 300th anniversary of the death of Michel-Richard de Lalande. “He was one of [the Sun King] Louis XIV’s favourite composers,” continues Jeffrey, “particularly of sacred music... [His] De Profundis clamavi was performed at the Sun King’s funeral in 1715, and at the first Concert Spirituel, performed in the palace of the Tuileries Gardens in 1725.” 

Alongside De Profundis, Ex Cathedra will also perform Lalande’s La grande pièce royale and Cantate Domino. 

Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto grosso Op6 no8 completes the afternoon’s programme. 

Birmingham Town Hall, Sunday 15 February

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KADIATU AND MARIATU KANNEH-MASON

The Birmingham-based Misfits Music Institute is the arts organisation behind this special event, which sees Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason and freelance clarinettist Anton Clarke-Butler reflecting on the challenges of creating art as Black musicians. 

The evening includes a performance by 16-year-old cellist & pianist Mariatu Kanneh-Mason, the youngest of Kadiatu’s seven musically gifted children. 

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Wednesday 18 February 

 

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ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: SHIFTING LIGHT

The Warwick-based Orchestra of the Swan’s (OOTS) mid-month concert takes its audience on a journey through the seasons of the year.

Shifting Light uses Vivaldi’s Four Seasons as the framework of a programme that also includes works by, among others, Tchaikovsky and Fleetwood Mac. 

The 90-minute concert features in OOTS’ Swan Sessions programme. The initiative typically sees between three and eight players from the orchestra performing in a relaxed and intimate setting. 

St Nicholas Church, Warwick, Thursday 19 February

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ENGLISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Worcestershire-based English Symphony Orchestra gets its teeth into the work of Mozart and Beethoven for its mid-month Malvern concert.  
The former’s effervescent Marriage Of Figaro overture kickstarts proceedings, with the latter’s Second Symphony bringing the evening of musicmaking to an exuberant and humorous close. 
Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto - performed by the orchestra’s principal clarinettist, Alison Lambert (pictured) - and Hans Gál’s Serenade For Strings also feature.    

Malvern Theatres, Thursday 19 February

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CBSO: HAYDN'S NELSON MASS

Joseph Haydn’s Nelson Mass was one of six masses written near the end of his life. The work is reflective of a period of terrible turmoil for Austria, during which the country was under serious threat from Napoleon Bonaparte’s army. 

However, around the time of the mass’ first-ever performance - in mid-September 1798 - news filtered through that Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson’s British fleet had defeated the French Emperor at the Battle of the Nile. The mass’ triumphant conclusion seemed like a perfect musical celebration of Bonaparte’s defeat, a fact which saw the composition become forever linked with Nelson and his game-changing victory...  
Alongside the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s performance of the work, this mid-month Symphony Hall concert also features Beethoven’s third piano concerto. 

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thursday 19 February

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CELIA MARGALEF BOQUERA PIANO CONCERT

Widely lauded for her impressive ability to blend immaculate preparation with seemingly spontaneous performance, London-based Spanish pianist Cèlia Margalef Boquera visits Shrewsbury to contribute to St Alkmunds’ free lunchtime concert series.

St Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury, Tuesday 24 February

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CBSO: KORNGOLD & PROKOFIEV

This late-month City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra concert features three musical responses to world events. The programme commences with Iman Habibi’s Zhiân, a work composed as a  reaction to state brutality in Iran. 
The 10-minute piece is followed by Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto, written in 1945. Korngold had vowed to compose only film music until the Nazis were defeated, so the concerto was written  in response to the end of the Second World War.
The concert’s final work is Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony, premiered in 1945. An optimistic composition, it was interpreted by many as a symbol of victory in the war.

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wednesday 25 February

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THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Since its formation 80 years ago, the RPO has operated under the directorship of some of the world’s most respected conductors, Rudolf Kempe and Andre Previn among them. 

Based in the beautiful surroundings of Chelsea’s Cadogan Hall, the orchestra is no stranger to the recording studio, regularly laying down soundtracks for films and enjoying a long partnership with many of the major commercial record companies...

The RPO’s late-month concert in Coventry features three works: contemporary composer Samy Moussa’s mournful Adgilis Deda; Strauss’ Four Last Songs, written when the composer was 84 years old; and Sibelius’ Second Symphony, perhaps best known for its triumphant closure. 

The orchestra is joined for the concert by multi-award-winning South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha (pictured). 

Kevin John Edusei, the RPO’s conductor-in-residence for the current season, is the man with the baton.

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Friday 27 February

Image credit: Vera Elma Vacek

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HALLE ORCHESTRA: TCHAIKOVSKY'S PIANO MASTERPIECE

The Manchester-based Halle is renowned for its affinity with English music, but here turns its attention in different directions; namely Strauss’ Serenade In E-flat Major and Brahms’ Fourth Symphony. Tom Borrow (pictured) stays over from his Piano Masters recital the previous day to perform Tchaikovsky’s first Piano Concerto.  

Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Friday 27 February

Image credit: Yoel Levy