Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the great composers of the Nordic countries

The WPO’s music director Dominic Grier conducts the concert and has devised the whole concept: “At the centre of the programme is Jean Sibelius’s justly-famous Violin Concerto, one of the most recorded pieces in the classical repertoire, to be played on this occasion by the WPO’s very own leader, Preston Yeo.

“Much of the other music is based around ancient myths and legends from the Scandinavian peninsula, but this concert goes one step further: the entire programme will be bound together by a specially-written mythical narrative, presenting a captivating and immersive dramatic experience for the audience.”

Dominic added: “I have long been fascinated by the great legends of old. When I first heard some of this music in my childhood, I had no idea at that point about the Kalevala (the great national epic of Finland) or of Ibsen’s Peer Gynt — all I knew was that these extraordinary sounds evoked powerful images and stirred strong emotions within me and inspired me to invent my own stories to string them all together.

“Given the resurgence of interest recently in the epic, through films and television dramas, I feel sure that the music we’re going to present will resonate with many people, regardless of whether they’ve even heard a live orchestra before. The musical language of scores such as Howard Shore’s The Lord of the Rings, or any number of John Williams film scores, has its roots in some of music we’ll be playing at this next concert.

“I’m sure there’ll be something for everyone as we conjure up a great hero, vast landscapes, battles, storms and shipwrecks, towering fortresses, witches, dragons, rustic villagers and the court of a noble Nordic king.

“The orchestra has never sounded better, and we are looking forward to sharing this immensely powerful and evocative music with anyone who’d like to come and hear us in performance. A full-sized orchestra of more than 70 musicians in full throttle is a sound quite unlike any other, and playing in such a vibrant acoustic as the Assembly Hall in Worthing remains such a privilege. Come and experience this for yourselves. We hope you’ll be inspired and enchanted!”

Dominic added: The WPO, which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary, is now playing to a standard unmatched in the memory of some of its longest-serving musicians and consequently attracts some of the very finest players from throughout Sussex and across the south coast.

"It continues to present exciting, innovative and challenging programmes, and its concerts provide a warm and informal setting for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the power of live classical music.”