WORLD renowned conductor Thomas Zehetmair steps back on to the Royal Northern Sinfonia podium for the next Lakeland Sinfonia Concert Society concert.

Mendelssohn’s evocative Fingal’s Cave overture opens the Saturday, March 19 (7.30pm), performance, which is part of the popular LSCS series, and as usual staged at Kendal Leisure Centre's Westmorland Hall, with Thomas at the helm.

He became RNS's principal conductor in 2002, and during his term which ended in 2014, has helped transform the Royal Northern ensemble into one of the UK's leading orchestras.

As 'conductor laureate' he continues to maintain close ties with the orchestra and there are many recordings that document his prolific work with the orchestra.

Thomas was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1961. He started violin lessons at five with his parents, both talented violinists. His advanced studies were at the Salzburg Mozarteum under the wing of his father, Helmut, and others Nathan Milstein and Max Rostal.

Thomas is definitely one of the most prominent and acclaimed instrumentalists and artistes in today's classical world, not only as a virtuoso violinist, but also a conductor and chamber musician.

His international career as a conductor is defined primarily by his position as artistic partner of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, USA, as well as principal conductor of the Musikkollegium Winterthur, beginning in the 2016/2017 season.

Thomas has apparently recorded the largest amount of repertoire for the violin; many of his releases have earned multiple awards. His recordings include, among others, BA Zimmermann’s violin concerto with the WDR Sinfonieorchester under Heinz Holliger (Diapason d’Or de l’Année 2009), a recording of Elgar’s violin concerto with the Hallé Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder (Gramophone Award 2010) and Mozart’s violin concertos with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century under Frans Brüggen.

Thomas is both a sought-after soloist and conductor among leading international orchestras. He is also the founding member of the Zehetmair Quartet, with which he was awarded the Paul Hindemith Prize by the City of Hanau in November 2014 in recognition of outstanding musical achievement.

His artistic contributions have been recognised with awards such as the certificate of honour by the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik as well as the Karl Böhm Interpretation Prize by the federated state of Styria, in Austria. Thomas is also an honorary doctor at the University of Music Franz Liszt in Weimar and Newcastle University.

Soloist for the March 19 concert will be highly regarded flautist, Juliette Bausor, in the spotlight performing Nielsen's Flute Concerto (1926).

One of the country's leading chamber ensembles, the Queen bestowed the title of ‘Royal’ on Northern Sinfonia in 2013 recognising it as one of the UK’s finest orchestras, the first time the honour has been bestowed on any UK orchestra for more than over 20 years.

The Royal's programme also includes the Sibelius Symphony no 4 in A minor.

Tickets are available on 0333-666-3366.