Sinfonia concert in Barnstaple supporting North Devon Hospice

dave.tanner@archant.co.uk
26 June 2009

NORTH Devon Sinfonia makes its annual visit to St Peter's Church in Barnstaple on Saturday, July 18 and will be raising funds for North Devon Hospice.

In its first charity collaboration, the orchestra wished to support a key local organisation that does important work in the area and so in the hospice's 25th anniversary year, members voted overwhelmingly for their support to go to the Hospice.

The concert will open with Verdi's stirring Force of Destiny Overture, whose bold dramatic opening gives way to more beautiful and familiar melodies, including that now immortalised by its use in the Stella Artois adverts.

Butterworth's orchestral rhapsody A Shropshire Lad follows - a typically English piece with beautiful melody and exquisite orchestration - based around an earlier song setting of one of A E Housman's collection of poems of the same name.

The opening of Beethoven's ground breaking Symphony no 5 is perhaps the most well known piece of music in the world and deservedly remains one of the most popular in the classical repertoire. This famous music will provide the rousing conclusion to what promises to be a night to remember.

For the first time, the orchestra will perform under the baton of professional conductor Colin Howard, who studied piano with Angus Morrison, conducting with Vernon Handley, cello with Harvey Phillips and singing with Caroline Friend at the Royal College of Music. He has been Director of Music at Highgate, Canford and The Purcell School and chorus master for the Two Moors Festival.

This special evening starts at 7.30pm. Tickets £10 for adults, with under 18s free and refreshments will be available. Tickets available on the door and from West Buckland School Library or call (01598) 760139.