Worthing Symphony Orchestra poised to welcome the New Year

There aren’t many things that stop Worthing Symphony Orchestra from performing – World War Two and Covid-19 being the notable exceptions.
John GibbonsJohn Gibbons
John Gibbons

Music director John Gibbons is delighted to announce the return of WSO’s most popular concert of the season – the annual New Year celebration – on Sunday, January 2 at the Assembly Hall, Worthing.

John said: “The Viennese Concert of 2019 was the penultimate concert WSO performed before lockdown. It was a wonderful occasion as always and a complete sell-out, with not a spare seat to be had. In the midst of all that joyous music, little did we know then what was around the corner, nor that it would be a full two years before we would be able to return to play all those traditional Viennese favourites that the Worthing audience have come to love.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The forthcoming concert features the immortal New Year classics from the Strauss Family and their contemporaries including the Blue Danube Waltz, Radetsky March, Thunder and Lightning Polka, Lanner’s New Year Galop and Lehar’s Gold and Silver Waltz.

John also adds a few less familiar items to the repertoire to keep things fresh, including Von Suppé’s Overture Isabella and Weighberger’s chirpy Polka Schwander (the Bagpiper) with a cheeky nod to one of Vienna’s finest symphonists – Anton Bruckner – by way of his Pilsner Tanz.

“What all these pieces have in common is that they are all uplifting and bristling with energy and life, to create a celebratory concert to set the feet tapping, the hands clapping and dispelling all thoughts of winter cold and Covid gloom.”

The concert starts at 2.45pm on Sunday, January 2 2022, and tickets are on sale online at wtam.uk or call the box office on 01903 206206.

Related topics: