Happy 20th Birthday Britten Sinfonia!

On the evening of Tuesday 23rd October 2012 I attended the Britten Sinfonia 20th Birthday concert at Norwich Theatre Royal. This was a celebration of Britten Sinfonia both present and future. The line-up included Pekka Kuusisto - violin/director, Thomas Gould - violin/director, Jacqueline Shave - violin/director, Caroline Dearnley - cello, Nicholas Daniel - oboe and the Britten Sinfonia Academy.

The programme consisted of Gallo Variations - Alissa Firsova, Rakastava Op 14 - Sibelius, Concerto for Oboe and Violin in D minor, BWV 1060 - Bach, Fantasia Concertante on a theme of Corelli - Tippett, One - James MacMillan and Symphony No.1 in D major, Classical - Prokofiev. The pieces from  Alissa Firsova and James MacMillan were Birthday Commissions which were being World Premiered on this tour.

This was the perfect night to showcase twenty years of  Britten Sinfonia with an very imaginative and varied programme being performed at Norwich Theatre Royal. My personal favourite piece of music was Bach's Concerto for Oboe and Violin. Happy 20th Birthday Britten Sinfonia and we all hope that the next 20 years will be as equally successful and pioneering.