My brief from the MOS committee for this season was to devise “audience-friendly programmes”, and only you can prove if I’ve succeeded by spreading the word and turning up in your droves..!
Certainly there’s much to savour, both for listeners and players, and equally certainly MSO is playing better - and more “professionally” - than ever. Once again we’ve five fabulous soloists. Our violinists, Mathilde Milwidsky and Benjamin Baker, are well-known to us and return with exciting pieces by Bruch and Korngold, as does Jonathan Leibovitz with one of the splendid clarinet concertos by Weber. We also welcome a fine singer, Susan Legg for Elgar’s well-loved “Sea Pictures”. And there’s an absolutely brilliant trumpeter, Matilda Lloyd, who originally hails from Sevenoaks. Matilda is going places fast, with two recent critically-acclaimed CDs, and for us she’s playing Haydn’s popular Trumpet Concerto.
MSO will be busy with great symphonies by Beethoven, Borodin, Brahms and Schubert. There’s also lighter fare from Johann Strauss and friends in a Christmas / New Year style concert, and to end the season we’ve a host of spectacular American composers - John Adams, Bernstein, Copland, Barber and Gershwin.
Buy lots of tickets and enjoy..!
For further information about Brian Wright visit brianwright.co.uk
Susan Legg
Mezzo Soprano
Tchaikovsky - Romeo & Juliet
Elgar - Sea Pictures
Smetana - Vltava
Borodin - Symphony No.2
A romantic feast to start our season..! Tchaikovsky’s superb portrait of Romeo & Juliet heralds the delights of Elgar’s Sea Pictures, including that most charming of songs, “Where corals lie”. Mezzo soprano, Susan Legg has a formidable international reputation for opera, oratorio and as a recitalist, and counts Elgar’s Sea Pictures as one of her personal favourites. Smetana’s Vltava may well be one of yours with its vivid musical depiction of the river that flows through Prague. Borodin’s 2nd Symphony then has it all - flamboyance, and a particularly brilliant finale.
Click here to download a flyer for this concertMathilde Milwidsky
Violin
Happy Holidays!
Johann Strauss II - Overture, Die Fledermaus
Bruch - Scottish Fantasy
Waldteufel - Skaters’ Waltz
Delius - Sleigh Ride
Prokofiev - Lieutenant Kijé Suite
Johann Strauss II - Blue Danube Waltz
Johann Strauss I - Radetzky March
Think “turn of the year” and it has to be music by the Johann Strausses, father and son. We’ve the big hits with the Blue Danube Waltz and Radetzky March, but also the brilliance of the Fledermaus Overture. Mathilde Milwidsky brings Bruch’s enchanting Scottish Fantasy - a virtuoso concerto in all but name - based on Scottish folk music (but with no sign of “Auld Lang Syne”). Elsewhere we’re keeping warm at the ice rink with Waldteufel, and then going off-piste for sleigh rides with both Delius and Prokofiev. A selection of fun pieces for what, most probably, will be a chilly winter’s evening.
Click here to download a flyer of this concert
Matilda Lloyd
Trumpet
Dvořák - Czech Suite
Haydn - Trumpet Concerto
Plus operatic arias arranged for trumpet
Beethoven - Symphony No.5
Here are three classics, plus a “bonus”. Beethoven’s Fifth must be the world’s most popular symphony. It hits you between the eyes with its famous four-note motive, has poise and elegance in the slow movement, and both the scherzo and finale piledrive Beethoven’s emotional message home. How different is Dvořák’s Czech Suite with its series of beautifully crafted rustic dances? And then again, we’ve Haydn’s classical and joyful Trumpet Concerto, played by the acclaimed Matilda Lloyd, who also brings the “bonus” - operatic aria arrangements from her recent CD, “Casta Diva”.
Click here to download a flyer for this concertJonathan Leibovitz
Clarinet
Schubert - Symphony No.8 “Unfinished”
Weber - Clarinet Concerto No.2
Brahms - Symphony No.4
We’ve two simply glorious symphonies tonight. Quite why Schubert didn’t finish his Unfinished we don’t know - lack of a performance or illness? But his two completed movements cross a magical boundary between the classics and the romantics. Weber continued the trend, and we’re delighted to have Jonathan Leibovitz return to play his sparkling 2nd Clarinet Concerto. Brahms then completed the idea in his magnificent 4th Symphony, with its overall classical form and romantic warmth.
Click here to download a flyer for this concertBenjamin Baker
Violin
Americana!
John Adams - A short ride in a fast machine
Bernstein - West Side Story, Symphonic dances
Korngold - Violin Concerto
Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man
Barber - Adagio for strings
Gershwin - An American in Paris
An exciting celebration of musical America. The panache of John Adams’ Short Ride sets the scene for the passion and sheer ebullience of Bernstein’s West Side Story, Symphonic dances. One of our favourite violinists, Benjamin Baker, returns for Korngold’s increasingly popular Violin Concerto, based on some of his own Hollywood movie themes. Copland’s famous Fanfare and Barber’s much-loved Adagio then pave the way for Gershwin’s spectacular portrait of An American in Paris - a brilliant way to end our season.
Click here to download a flyer for this concertSteve Migden presents Free Pre-concert talks before each concert from 6.40-7.10pm
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.
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 1: 18 October 2025
September 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, October 2nd, 9th, 12th (Sunday), 16th
Concert: Saturday 18 October 2025, 7.30 pm (Rehearsal 2.30-5.30 pm)
Concert 2: 29 November 2025
October 30th, November 6th, 13th, 20th, 23rd (Sunday), 27th
Concert: Saturday 29 November 2025, 7.30 pm (Rehearsal 2.30-5.30 pm)
Concert 3: Saturday 31 January 2026
December 4th, 11th, January 8th, 15th, 22nd, 25th (Sunday), 29th
Concert: Saturday 31 January 2026, 7.30 pm (Rehearsal 2.30-5.30 pm)Concert 4: Saturday 21 March 2026
Concert: Saturday 21 March 2026, 7.30 pm (Rehearsal 2.30-5.30 pm)
Concert 5: Saturday 16 May 2026
March 26th, April 2nd, 23rd, 30th, May 7th, 10th (Sunday), 14th
Concert: Saturday 16 May, 7.30 pm Rehearsal 2.30-5.30 pm)
Notices
We would love to hear from you.
Maidstone, Kent
