Our next St Cecilia Orchestra Concert is our major event of the year, the Special "Gala" Concert in Ripon Cathedral on Saturday 13 September.

The programme begins with Vaughan Williams' "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis".  This haunting and evocative masterpiece for string orchestra is ideally suited to the atmosphere and accoustic of the Cathedral and will provide a wonderful prelude before the central item, Dvorak's magnificent Cello Concerto.  For this concerto, we are joined by the internationally renowned cellist, Stephen Isserlis, whose performances and recordings of this particular piece are universaly admired.

To finish, we look forward to Rimsky-Korsakov's brilliant orchestral showpiece - "Scheherazade" - one of the most exciting and exhilarating works in the repertoire.  Surely a concert "not-to-be-missed"!

Tickets (£14, £11, £5) will be available from Ripon City Music, Ripon Travel, Cathedral Shop, Pomp & Circumstance, Harrogate & Ripon TICs - or by telephone - 01765 677413.  Please book early to avoid disappointment!

Any queries or coments:-

mail@st-cecilia.org.uk

Calling all Young String Players !!!

As part of the orchestra's education & outreach programme, we are also contacting every young string player in the area, to find out if they would like to join the new Ripon Youth String Orchestra (click HERE to see the latest news about this exciting development), which was launched at the end of February.  We are also offering young string players an exciting range of opportunities – workshops, master-classes, cheap tickets for concerts etc. – and all sorts of advice and information about anything to do with string playing!

Please contact us ASAP, preferably by email, or telephone 01765 602856

If you are not already on our Emailing list, please sign up via the home page - or email us:-

mail@st-cecilia.org.uk

Dazzling concert delights packed Cathedral

"Words such as dazzling, mesmerising and stunning come to mind in describing the marvellous performance of Brahms' Violin Concerto and Elgar's first Symphony last Saturday in the Cathedral"

"It had superlative artistry and arresting virtuoso display. The Brahms Violin Concerto was wonderful in execution and one could hear a pin drop in the cadenza and the slow movement."

"The professionalism of the orchestra and the lyricism shone through, especially in the dialogue between oboist (VaCO member) Stephen Hudson and Leland Chen in the second movement, which also demonstrated a lovely balance between the orchestra and soloist."

"The audience, so enchanted, stood wanting more and, being the man he is, Leland Chen came back with a beautiful encore."

"… as the orchestra came back to perform the Elgar symphony, there was excitement and anticipation. It was a magnificent performance, electric in delivery, creating tensions that were only broken as the final chord climaxed."

"XK's brilliant handling of the complex speed-changes showed his command and the refinement of the strings was controlled as the short second movement led into the hushed pianissimo of the wonderfully romantic adagio."

"The intensity of the adagio, with its shimmering strings, once again enthralled the audience as a stillness descended upon the cathedral for a second time."

"The orchestra produced the most magical playing and the stormy outbursts of the brass were totally thrilling."

"It was top-notch and the fizzing finale crowned the evening. What next? This orchestra is in the elite of its kind. Watch out for more excellence and thoroughly sensational performances. A total triumph."

- of Walton's Two Pieces for Strings from Henry V                     "The strings' sweet playing of the charming, attractive miniature Touch Her Soft Lips was quite simply gorgeous."