Ulster Orchestra concert celebrating rhythm and movement with Copland's 'Appalachian Spring', Errollyn Wallen's Violin Concerto and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.
Ulster Orchestra are at Ulster Hall on Friday 23 October, with a programme they've titled Dance Moves. It's part of their 2026/27 season, and the whole thing is built around rhythm and movement, so it's less of a sit-still-and-listen sort of night and more of a dance-floor one.
They open with Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring, music inspired by the wide-open spaces and flowing brooks of the Appalachian mountains, originally written for the tender, hope-filled ballet of the same name. After that, the focus shifts to Errollyn Wallen's Violin Concerto, with violinist Philippe Quint taking the lead. The concerto's chiming church bells are a personal depiction of Quint's early life, so there's a bit of a story behind it that goes beyond the notes. The night closes with Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, which brings the whole thing back to the dance floor with its riotous rhythm.
Anna Handler is conducting, and the programme runs from the American wide-open spaces of Copland through to Wallen's personal concerto and finally to Beethoven's big finish. It's a good mix of the familiar and the newer, with the dance theme tying the three together.
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The concert starts at 7:45pm at Ulster Hall, 34 Bedford Street, BT2 7FF. Tickets range from £10.00 to £38.00, with a £3.25 booking fee on top. Children under 3 aren't permitted, and under-14s need to be accompanied by an adult.
