The truly gifted Isle of Wight pianist Thomas Luke will perform Richard Addinsell’s ‘Warsaw Concerto’ and Richard Rodney Bennett’s ‘Party Piece’ with the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra at their concert on 6th July 2024.
Thomas was the keyboard category winner of the prestigious BBC Young Musician of the Year competition in 2020 and was also been awarded the Iris Dyer Piano Prize at the Junior Royal Academy of Music. In 2022 he received the offer of a full scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music, where he is now a Margaret Mount Scholar.
‘Warsaw Concerto’
‘Warsaw Concerto’ was composed for the 1941 film ‘Dangerous Moonlight’, a love story about a Polish fighter pilot. Richard Addinsell asked Roy Douglas to help with the orchestration and wanted to capture a Rachmaninov-like richness. This was certainly achieved and the work is deservedly popular.
Richard Rodney Bennett’s jazz-infused ‘Party Piece’ is light-hearted and delightful, demonstrating the composer’s melodic and harmonic ingenuity.
Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid
Also on the programme is Aaron Copland’s musical depiction of the Wild West’s semi-fictional outlaw Billy the Kid.
Composed for Ballet Caravan in 1938, the suite tells the story of Billy’s escapades and is, at turns, intensely dramatic and irresistibly tender.
‘Three Card Trick’
Another treat for the audience is the premiere of Pam Wedgewood’s orchestral suite ‘Three Card Trick’.
Pam is known worldwide for her educational music and she is now very happily resident on the Isle of Wight.
Where and when
The evening begins at 7.15pm on Saturday 6th July at Medina Theatre.
The orchestra is delighted to be supporting The Wight Brainy Bunch at all of its concerts this season. Sponsorship from Wightlink is invaluable in helping the orchestra maintain the high quality of their concerts from year to year.
Book your tickets via the Medina Theatre website.
New shared by Gareth on behalf of Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra. Ed
