THE Westmorland Orchestra returns to the concert platform this weekend joined by special guests from the brass band world and a prizewinning pianist.

The highly regarded ensemble revisits Respighi’s Pines of Rome and Brahms’s Symphony No 1 for Saturday's (May 20) Kendal performance - two pieces from its December 2015 concert, which was unfortunately cancelled due to the floods - with the addition to the programme of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, starring outstanding pianist Slava Sidorenko as soloist.

Respighi’s Pines of Rome is the second of a trilogy that evokes scenes of Rome, both modern and historical. The work is in four movements, each of which paint a picture of pine trees at different times during the day, in different places around Rome. The first portrays children playing under pine trees; the second, entitled Pines near a Catacomb, is more solemn, with hymn-like aspects; the third offers the image of a moonlit night, with a nightingale singing; and the fourth has a military air, depicting the Roman army marching towards Rome.

It is a beautiful and unusual work with the popular Burneside Brass Band sharing the stage with the Westmorland players during Respighi’s piece.

As for Rachmaninov’s much-loved Rhapsody, the orchestra is excited to be performing the work with such an excellent pianist as Slava. He has performed with many of the major professional orchestras across the UK, including the London Symphony Orchestra, and has won prizes in many international competitions, including the Busoni International Piano Competition. He is also an ambassador for Manchester's Royal Northern College of Music. Rachmaninov’s work, featuring 24 variations on a theme for violin by Paganini, showcases the expressive range of the piano, from a lovely slow movement to some virtuosic passages Rachmaninov himself was nervous about performing.

Meanwhile, Brahms’s Symphony No 1 is known for having taken him 14 years to complete, supposedly because he felt the weight of Beethoven’s achievements on his shoulders. However, the symphony is much more than simply a continuation of Beethoven’s work - it offered a new idea of what a symphony should be like. The very beginning echoes Bach, while the fourth movement was unusual for the time in its length and depth. Its complexity and contrasts make it a work not to be missed.

The concert - at Kendal Leisure Centre's Westmorland Hall - will be conducted by Richard Howarth and led by Pamela Redman.

The performance starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available from orchestra members, the Brewery Arts Centre or at the door.

For further information visit www.westmorlandorchestra.org.uk.