This Summer our concert will feature four young local soloists: cellist, flautist, violinist and soprano. Emma Ward will be singing from the Chants d'Auvergne" ("Songs from the Auvergne"), a collection of folk songs from the Auvergne region of France arranged for soprano voice and orchestra by Joseph Canteloube between 1923-1930. Under summer skies, the Auvergne is a land of skylarks, butterflies and lush carpets of wildflowers. This all comes across in the lilting strains of the folk song "Balro" a shepherd's call. Cellist Perris Heath is playing Faurs lgie. Said to be one of the last works in which the composer allowed himself to express pathos so directly, this deeply emotional piece begins with a sad and somber theme, climaxes with an intense, tempestuous central section before returning to that elegiac opening theme. Mabel Bailey will delight on her flute with a Ballade by Carl Reinecke. Reinecke was a highly influential and versatile musician musically, think Robert Schumann (one of his teachers together with Mendelssohn and Liszt) and youll get the idea. The Ballade is charming and tuneful Reinecke understood the instrument very well he may not have set the world on its ear, but he was an expert musician. Daniella Arnold joins us to share Massenets Mditation. The piece was originally composed as a symphonic intermezzo from the opera Thas. This piece is when Thas is meditating on the idea of leaving her life of luxury and pleasure to find salvation through God and is considered to be one of the great encore pieces. In addition to this feast, the orchestra will be playing Boniss Bourre and Mendelssohns first Symphony. Mlanie Hlne "Mel" Bonis (21 January 1858 18 March 1937) was a prolific French late-Romantic composer. The Bourre that youll hear tonight is from a "suite in the ancient style Its a short piece with a mysteriously playful mood, beautifully and subtly orchestrated. Mendelssohns composed his first symphony at the age of 15! The premire was in London in 1829 and the review from The Harmonicon includes ... Fertility of invention and novelty of effect, are what first strike the hearers of M. Mendelssohn's symphony; but at the same time, the melodiousness of its subjects, the vigour with which these are supported, the gracefulness of the slow movement, the playfulness of some parts, and the energy of others, are all felt." The full programme for the evening is: Faur: lgie (Cello) Bonis: Bourre (Orchestra) Massenet: Mditation from Thas (Violin) Reinecke: Ballade (Flute) Canteloube: Songs of the Auvergne (Soprano) Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1 (Orchestra)