Lancaster International Concert Series - BBC Philharmonic performs

As part of his 70th birthday celebrations the Mancunian composer and Master of the Queen’s Music Sir Peter Maxwell Davies conducts the BBC Philharmonic in four of his most popular works at Lancaster University. Part of the Lancaster International Concert Series the BBC Phil will be performing in The Great Hall on Thursday 2nd December at 7.30pm.

The Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor, Jason Lai conducts Elgar’s haunting, autumnal Cello Concerto and is joined by the engaging young cellist Natalie Clein in the work with which she won the BBC Young Musician title in 1994.

Prior to the concert from 6.45 – 7.15pm ticket holders can enjoy the showing of two short films made by the Boston Pops Orchestra which show the background to Mavis in Las Vegas and An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise. Sir Peter Maxwell Davies will introduce the films.

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Conductor

In 1991 Sir Peter Maxwell Davies became the BBC Philharmonic's first ever Composer/Conductor and is universally acknowledged as one of the foremost composers of our time. He lives in the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland where he writes most of his music. He has written across the widest gamut of musical genre, and in many styles. His huge output of orchestral works include fourteen concertos, several light orchestral works, including An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise and Mavis in Las Vegas (both feature in the Lancaster concert), plus five large-scale works for chorus and eight symphonies, hailed by The Times as being 'the most important symphonic cycle since Shostakovich'.

Jason Lai Assistant Conductor

The British born Chinese conductor started his musical studies at the age of 12 when he took cello, piano and composition lessons, which continued with the help of a scholarship at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester. Jason Lai was the winner of the BBC Young Conductors Workshop in February 2002 and was awarded the post of Assistant Conductor at the BBC Philharmonic. He has also worked with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, English Touring Opera, London Sinfonietta and the BBC Singers.

Natalie Clein Cello

Hugely popular when she performed last year with Paul Lewis as part of the Lancaster Concert Series, Natalie Clein made her concerto debut at the BBC Proms in August 1997, performing the Haydn Cello Concerto in C major with Sir Roger Norrington and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. She has since performed as a soloist with most of the UK’s major orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, the English Chamber Orchestra, the CBSO, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, the BBC Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, and the Hallé Orchestra.

Peter Maxwell Davies - Mavis in Las Vegas, Throstle’s Nest Junction, Cross Lane Fair,

An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise. Edward Elgar Cello Concerto*

*Jason Lai Conductor. *Natalie Clein Cello. Mark Jordan Northumbrian Pipes,

Rob Lea Bodrhan, Iain MacDonald Bagpipes

Box Office 01524 594151, Tickets: £16, £13 £10 (£12.50, £10.50, £8 concs.) Young person £5

Full details for the whole season are available at: www.lancasterconcerts.co.uk