Brighton Spring: Launch

Brighton Spring make their debut at The Cairns Theatre on Thursday 17 September, starting at 7pm. It's the first time the ensemble is playing under its own name, and the programme is a wide-ranging one: Bach concertos, Steve Reich, Debussy and Piazzolla. That's a lot of ground to cover in one evening, running from the Baroque through the 20th century and into the tango of Astor Piazzolla, with the accordion taking centre stage throughout.

There's a bit of a story to the group. Brighton Spring is the BBC Philharmonic's brand-new ensemble of young players, drawn from the orchestra's 'Spring Forwards' professional training scheme, which launched the previous year. It's not just a one-off concert, either — the group is set to tour schools and venues as part of the BPO's outreach programme, so this is the first time they're stepping out in front of an audience.

The guest soloist is the young Latvian accordionist Alise Siliņa, who'll be joined by a string ensemble led by Polish-British violinist Emily Trubshaw, Beijing-born pianist Xiaowen Shang and percussionist Meadow Brooks. If Siliņa's name sounds familiar, it's because she appeared last December at the Fairytales concert, so this is her return to the local stage.

Tickets are £15, with a £10 concession and £5 for children. The concert is at The Cairns Theatre, inside Brighton College on Eastern Road, BN2 0AL, on Thursday 17 September from 7pm.