We’ve a very exciting season in prospect, with five brilliant young soloists returning to MSO. Ariel Lanyi brings Rachmaninov’s spectacular 4th Piano Concerto, while Mayumi Kanagawa essays Walton’s powerful Violin Concerto. We’ve a special request from Ben Goldscheider to play Glière’s highly entertaining Horn Concerto, while Callum Smart brings the well-loved Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. There’s also the delight of hearing Maxim Calver play Elgar’s iconic Cello Concerto. Meanwhile, MSO offers a succession of truly fantastic symphonies - literally in one case - by Prokofiev, Berlioz, Shostakovich, Dvořák and Sibelius.
In addition, we’ve splendid overtures by Brahms, Vaughan Williams, Bernstein, Beethoven and Wagner. So, I would say, there’s a great cross-section of classical music’s finest pieces for you to enjoy this season. Please buy your season tickets to support the cause
For further information about Brian Wright visit brianwright.co.uk
Maxim Calver
Cello
Wagner - A Faust Overture
Elgar - Cello Concerto
Sibelius - Symphony No.5
The exciting young cellist Maxim Calver returns for a fourth time bringing Elgar’s heartwarmingly beautiful Cello Concerto. Not often heard, Wagner’s A Faust Overture was originally conceived as the first movement of a symphony and makes a perfect concert opener. We end our season with Sibelius’s superb 5th Symphony. The main theme of the finale was inspired by the sight of sixteen swans taking off from a lake in Finland. However, the great musicologist, Sir Donald Tovey, also compared it to “Thor swinging his hammer.” Click here to download a flyer for this concertAriel Lanyi
Piano
Brahms - Academic Festival Overture
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No.4
Prokofiev - Symphony No.5
Brahms’s popular Academic Festival Overture gets our season off to a cracking start. The fine Israeli pianist, Ariel Lanyi, returns with Rachmaninov’s 4th Piano Concerto. Originally written in 1926, Rachmaninov revised it continually until a final version emerged in 1941, with a dazzling finale full of energy and power. Prokofiev’s 5th Symphony, premiered in 1945, is one of his most popular works. Large-scale and brilliant, Prokofiev described it as "a hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit."
Click here to download a flyer of this concert
Mayumi Kanagawa
Violin
Vaughan Williams - Overture, The Wasps
Walton - Violin Concerto
Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique
One of our favourites, the Japanese-American violinist, Mayumi Kanagawa, plays Walton’s emotionally charged Violin Concerto. The second movement features a dance-like ‘tarantella’, apparently written after Walton had been bitten by a tarantula! Either side, Vaughan Williams’ fizzing Wasps Overture sets the scene for Berlioz’s magnificent Symphonie Fantastique. Full of passionate impulses, this has everything, from depictions of a glittering ball and simple pastoral pleasures, to the terror of Madame Guillotine and a final Witches’ Sabbath.
Click here to download a flyer for this concertBen Goldscheider
Horn
Bernstein - Overture, Candide
Glière - Horn Concerto
Shostakovich - Symphony No.10
Here’s a scintillating programme! Bernstein’s sparkling overture to Candide paves the way for some spectacular horn playing from Ben Goldscheider. Reinhold Glière’s Horn Concerto may have been written in the early 1950s, but his style is overtly Romantic, with dance tunes and a lush slow movement. Composed around the same time, Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony takes no prisoners and is undoubtedly his musical statement on the Stalin years in Russia. Biting and immensely exciting, the scherzo is said to depict the dictator himself, while the finale has a real sense of liberation.
Click here to read a review of this concertCallum Smart
Violin
Beethoven - Overture, Leonora No.3
Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto
Dvořák - Symphony No.7
A comforting concert of wonderful works. Master-violinist Callum Smart is back with us for Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Beethoven’s Overture, Leonora No.3 is the finest of the four he wrote for his opera Fidelio. Considered too long for the opera itself, it’s taken its place as a popular concert opener. Triumphantly premiered in London in 1885, Dvořák’s 7th Symphony is often hailed his greatest. He asked for an advance, claiming “I’ve a lot of expense with my garden!”
We are delighted that this concert was sponsored by Brachers, an award-winning law firm, in support of Wishing Hearts, their nominated charity which is dedicated to supporting the elderly community in Maidstone
Steve Migden presents Free Pre-concert talks before each concert from 6.40-7.10pm
You can download our 2024/25 Concert brochure by clicking here.
Add these dates to your calendar by downloading an ICS file with all you need to know.If you drop us an email to [email protected] we will keep you in touch with all our news.
All our concerts are held in Mote Hall Mote Leisure Centre, Maidstone, ME15 7RN.
Wheelchairs can be accommodated in certain areas of the hall. A number of reserved car parking spaces are available for visitors with disabilities. The bar is open before and after the concerts, and during the interval. Interval drinks may be pre-ordered Refreshments are available in the bar foyer
Please note that Maidstone Leisure Centre (Mote Hall) have installed a vehicle number plate recognition system in the car park. However, we have arranged for the system to be TURNED OFF AT 5.30pm prior to each of our concerts. Therefore, please ignore all signage and park as normal, without registering your vehicle’s number plate.
From September, you will be able to click here to buy tickets online
Maidstone Symphony Orchestra performs at Mote Hall, in Mote Park, Maidstone, which has a seating capacity of approximately 900. Concerts start at 7.30pm, with Free pre-concert talks presented by Steve Migden from 6.40pm to 7.10pm. Current Season Ticket Holders save up to 20% by buying a season ticket for all concerts. HALF PRICE FOR NEW SEASON TICKET SUBSCRIBERS! Season Tickets: £60, £100, £120;rehe
Single Concerts: £15, £25, £30; Students £5 and FREE for under 18s. You can book tickets for individual concerts online, by phone, or buy tickets at the door. Click here for more information on buying tickets.
Under the direction of its acclaimed and popular conductor, Brian Wright, Maidstone Symphony Orchestra is regarded as one of the UK's finest "community" orchestras. It was formed in 1910 as Maidstone Orchestral Society, still the title of the concert promoting organisation.
Today MSO is a superbly well-balanced mix of local professionals and ex-professionals, music teachers and excellent amateur players who come together regularly on a voluntary basis to produce concerts of a professional standard. This entails great commitment by the players, many of whom travel from all over Kent, and beyond, to attend MSO's weekly Thursday evening rehearsals.
The MOS is a registered charity number 1163384.
Brian Wright has been Music Director and Conductor of Maidstone Symphony Orchestra since 1990.
Brian studied as a Gulbenkian scholar in London and Munich. He won major prizes in conducting competitions at La Scala, Milan and with the London Symphony Orchestra. He was Assistant Conductor to the LSO and then Associate Conductor to the BBC, winning acclaim for performances at the Proms. Brian has conducted all the UK orchestras, toured in Europe with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and in Europe and China with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been a guest conductor in almost 20 countries.
Andrew (Andy) Laing started learning the violin when he was 5, and by the age of 16 was appointed leader of the National String Orchestra of Scotland. He gained a place at the Royal Academy of Music, winning numerous prizes and scholarships. Andy was appointed sub-leader of the BBC Radio Orchestra, then Leader of the London City Ballet Orchestra. In the '90s, he spent much time on stage at the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he met his wife, Rachel, also a professional violinist. Andy is a keen amateur astronomer, and if music had not been his first love, it is entirely possible that a career involving the stars may have followed!
General Secretary - Lyn Parker,
Treasurer - Harriet Finch,
Ticketing - Nicci Whitaker.
PLAYER REPRESENTATIVES:
David Montague, Peter Colman, Julie Evans, William Stow and Angela Migden
SUBSCRIBER REPRESENTATIVES:
Peter Hart, Richard Ashby
CO-OPTED MEMBERS:
EX-OFFICIO:
John Lill CBE (President),
Janet Ash (Vice-President),
David King (Vice-President),
Steve Migden (Vice-President),
Brian Wright (Conductor & Music Director).
The Kent Messenger described MSO's players as "A fantastically loyal group of players with amazing abilities." Coming from all over Kent, they are recognised for all giving of their time unstintingly with more than 23 hours of rehearsal for each concert.
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Rehearsals
Concert 5: 17 May 2025
Rehearsals: March 27th, April 3rd, 24th, May 1st, 8th, 11th (Sunday), 15th
Concert: Saturday 17 May 2025, 7.30 pm (Rehearsal 2.30-5.30 pm)
Notices
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Maidstone, Kent
