A FORMER BBC Young Musician of the Year finalist will be the star attraction of the opening concert in the new Lakeland Sinfonia series.

Sam Haywood, who was brought up at St Bees, is soloist in the Lakeland Sinfonia Concert Society’s September 29 (7.30pm) concert at Kendal’s Westmorland Hall, which lifts the curtain on the 2012/2013 season.

Conducted by Philip Sunderland, the 1986 finalist will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 1.

Sam, who studied in Vienna, is now in demand worldwide, often playing alongside violinist Joshua Bell.

The London-based pianist is a fan of the Lakeland landscape, and in between his global travels, regularly drops in to see his grandfather, Roy Fox, who lives at Windermere.

He said he was really looking forward to returning to the region and it would be good to have his parents, sister and grandfather in the audience.
He added: “It's also a good chance to do a bit of hiking in the Lakes, which is always a great source of inspiration."

The Northern Sinfonia, based at The Sage Gateshead, is always popular in Kendal and perform as part of LSCS on November 3 with principal conductor Mario Venzago directing a concert that initially features the flute. First, the overture to The Magic Flute, plus distinguished flautist Juliette Bausor as soloist in Ibert’s Flute Concerto.

The Northern Sinfonia’s November 17 concert sees Mike Svoboda in the spotlight playing trombone in Benedict Mason’s Sackbut Concerto, which will have been given its world premier a few days earlier at The Sage. The concert also includes Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony - its second movement features in The King’s Speech movie.

Former BBC Young Musician of the Year winner (1992) Freddy Kempf will play Mozart’s Piano Concerto no 12 alongside the impressive European Union Chamber Orchestra on February 2.

Meanwhile, two of the biggest orchestral names in classical music take to the Westmorland Hall stage for the 2013 half of the series.

On February 16, The Hallé, under the baton of Andrew Gourlay, will play the Romeo and Juliet Overture, the Walk to the Paradise Garden by Delius, and Barber’s brilliant, lyrical and technically demanding Violin Concerto will be performed by Valeriy Sokolov.

The following month (March 2) the BBC Philharmonic plays the ever popular Symphony no 9 by Dvorak, From the New World with Classical Brit Award winner Ruth Palmer on hand to play Korngold’s Violin Concerto, packed with excitement and wonderful melodies.

The last two concerts feature, on March 23, the Lakeland Sinfonia, conducted by the effervescent Wyn Davies with Alice Neary centre stage in Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto, and on April 20 an evening to suit all piano lovers with international performer, Angela Hewitt, directing the Northern Sinfonia, as well as playing two piano concertos by Mozart and two by Bach.

Tickets are available from Pam and Tim Keegan on 01539-722533.