Wind section to be showcased in Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra summer concert

Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra will be showing off its wind section in its summer concert on Sunday, June 9.
From left to right, Brendan Connellan, Zac Hayward, Peter Lewis and John Peskett.From left to right, Brendan Connellan, Zac Hayward, Peter Lewis and John Peskett.
From left to right, Brendan Connellan, Zac Hayward, Peter Lewis and John Peskett.

Spokesman Barry Cranford said: “The opening item is the rarely heard Wiener Philharmonic Fanfare which is scored for eight horns, six trumpets, six trombones, two tubas and two timpani. The sound will fill the large Assembly Hall! It will be followed by the Wagner Overture to Rienzi. The overture is taken from his third completed opera and based on Lytton’s novel Rienzi.

“The solo item is the rarely-heard Schumann Konzertstück (concert piece) for four solo horns. Members of the horn section of the WPO will perform two of the solo parts and will be joined by two outstanding young local players Brendan Connellan and Zac Hayward.

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“Brendan is studying horn at the Royal College of Music Junior Department and is co-principal horn in the National Youth Orchestra. He is currently in year 11 at St Paul’s Catholic College in Burgess Hill.

“Zac is making a return visit to perform with the WPO and is an ex-Lancing College pupil now in his second year at the Guildhall School of Music.

“Schumann loved and understood the horn well and in 1849 composed this spectacular work for two old non-valved horns and two of the then new valved ones. “It is now always played on modern valved instruments.

“The talented WPO horn section is directed by Peter Lewis who will be joined by another WPO member soloist and past pupil of his, John Peskett.

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“Peter has played with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the SABC Symphony Orchestra based in Johannesburg.

“On his return to the UK in 1977 he entered the teaching profession and was director of music at Lancing College until his retirement in 2004. He is also deputy conductor of the WPO.“Following the interval, the full strength of the WPO will be used to perform Mahler Symphony No 1 Titan which was written between 1887 and 1888 in Leipzig and incorporates some music Mahler had composed for previous works. It was initially completed while he was a conductor of the Leipzig Opera and titled a symphonic poem.

“Following major revisions in the years after 1893, it was republished as a full four movement symphony. It is scored for large orchestra with four flutes, four oboes, four clarinets, three bassoons, seven horns, five trumpets, four trombones, six timpani and a large string section. The opportunity to hear this large orchestra should not be missed.”

The concert is on Sunday, June 9 at 7.30pm in the Assembly Hall Worthing. Tickets are between £9 and £16 with children and students £3 and can be ordered from the box office on 01903 206206 or online at http://www.worthingtheatres.co.uk.