NOSPR / Ponomarchuk - NOSPR

Can sound be used to paint a portrait of a friend or create an illusion of space? This concert shows that a symphony orchestra can be an art gallery, a time machine and a great puzzle all at once. We will explore two remarkable works which, beneath a veneer of British restraint, conceal fascinating secrets hidden within the labyrinth of orchestral parts.

In his Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Ralph Vaughan Williams looks back several centuries, drawing on music of the Renaissance. By scoring the work for two string orchestras and a string quartet, he creates an extraordinary interplay of space and sound. It is a lesson in how the positioning of instruments can completely transform the way we experience music.

The next work on the programme for our June concert will reveal a different, more personal side of composition. Edward Elgar uses music as a means of turning his attention to the people he encountered in his everyday life. Each of the selected ‘Enigma’ Variations is a musical portrait of someone close to him. Rather than depicting them literally, the composer captures their gestures, temperaments and small quirks of character, transforming them into music. Yet the titular enigma hangs over the entire work. An additional challenge for listeners will be to decipher the principal hidden motif that binds the whole work together, although it is never played directly. Perhaps you will be the ones to crack the code?

The concert is intended for pupils in grades 7–8 of primary school and secondary-school students.

Admission is free.

Registration for the event will be via an online form and will open on Tuesday, 11 May 2027 at 2.00 pm. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Confirmation of participation will be sent by 14 May 2027.