Oboe virtuoso Fergus McCready makes his debut with the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra on Saturday 18th March, when he will perform Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto.
Fergus was born in South Devon and studied at Wells Cathedral School before gaining a Leverhulme scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music.
In his first year, he won the Rothwell/Barbirolli prize and gained considerable experience playing principal oboe with the Academy Symphony Orchestra, Academy Opera and Symphonic Winds.
Rare event
An oboe soloist is relatively rare on the Isle of Wight and Fergus’ appearance is certain to be a treat for the Medina audience.
Richard Strauss waited until the age of 81 to write his delightful concerto and the work shows his interest in the Classical era of Haydn and Mozart. He was a remarkable orchestrator and the concerto demonstrates a lightness of touch that contrasts greatly with the large-scale orchestral works of his younger years.
The solo lines are often graceful and lyrical and there is much of interest for the accompanying orchestra too. The three movements are interconnected and Strauss uses short melodic motifs to unify the music.
Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn
The concert will commence with ‘Variations on a Theme by Haydn’ by Brahms, composed in 1873. Brahms was fascinated by variation form and the piece demonstrates his inventiveness brilliantly.
Each section is best described as a ‘character’ variation and Brahms links each one subtly with the original theme.
The final variation is a tour de force, revealing Brahms’ mastery of the higher forms of musical composition. Brahms’ music is always highly accessible though, despite its intellectual credentials.
Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no.3
The programme will conclude with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no.3, composed in 1875. The music often has a dance-like nature and the choreographer George Balanchine later used it as the basis for the final part of his ballet masterpiece, ‘Jewels’.
The Symphony has five movements and, despite the sombre opening, is predominantly positive in mood. Tchaikovsky was a master of a rousing finale and this symphony is no exception. It’s a fantastic work-out for the whole orchestra and is sure to bring the evening to an exhilarating close.
Where and when
The concert takes place on Saturday 18th March 2023 at Medina Theatre
The evening begins at 7.15pm and 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 seats via the Medina Theatre Website.
News shared by Gareth on behalf of Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra. Ed
