All-star orchestra Sinfonia of London, conducted by John Wilson with pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, plays Grażyna Bacewicz's Concerto for String Orchestra and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade.
Sinfonia of London make their Edinburgh debut at Usher Hall on Saturday 31 October, with conductor John Wilson leading the orchestra. It's their first time playing the city, and they're billing it as a 'dazzling return' to Edinburgh, though they've never actually played here before.
The programme pairs two very different works. The first half is Grażyna Bacewicz's Concerto for String Orchestra, written in 1948 by the Polish composer and violinist. It's a mid-century piece for strings alone, so you'll hear the orchestra without the brass or woodwind. The second half is Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, a Russian romantic staple that's built around a solo violin giving voice to the storyteller herself. Between the two, the pianist Benjamin Grosvenor joins the line-up.
There's a bit of a story to the orchestra itself. The Sinfonia of London started out as a famous studio orchestra, and it was later recreated as a labour of love by John Wilson. He's put together a hand-picked, all-star ensemble with a uniquely vibrant sound, and they've won a host of major awards for their recordings. That studio background explains why they're so well known for their discs, but this is a live night in the hall.
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The concert starts at 19:30 at Usher Hall on Lothian Road. Tickets start from £31.50, including all fees, with other prices at £52.50, £47.50, £37.50 and £29.50.
