SOSL’s Junior Orchestra to take centrestage
View(s):Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka turns the spotlight on the Junior Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka at its Young Musicians in Concert on July 1 at 7 p.m. at the Ladies’ College Hall.
The HSBC bank will sponsor this concert for the 22nd consecutive year, supporting the SOSL to foster and promote young talent.
Renowned conductor Dushyanthi Perera will direct the programme which encompasses the Festival Polonaise Opus 12 by Johan Svendsen, Felix Mendelssohn’s ‘Italian’ – Symphony No 4 in A Major Opus 90 in four movements, the Valse Triste from Kuolema by Jean Sibelius and for a touch of the contemporary, the Finale of the Star Wars Suite by John T Williams.
This year the SOSL has chosen to highlight not just one soloist, but the entire Junior Orchestra.
The programme, begins with the magnificent grandeur of generous percussion, the outstanding feature in Norwegian composer Johan Svendsen’s Festival Polonaise Opus 12.
Aptly titled Italian is Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No 4 in A major Opus 90 which was begun during a tour of Italy. The Symphony was composed to partly fulfil a commission by the (now Royal) Philharmonic Society of London.
The JSO will then take the stage, performing the highly energetic and infectiously tuneful Jig from Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite. They will also perform a set of Romanian Dances by Bela Bartok—in an excellent arrangement for string orchestra—and follow this up with Mozart’s hugely popular Divertimento in D major. The JSO will then join the SOSL for the rest of the concert.
In sharp contrast to the despondency of Sibelius’ composition, will be the explosive opening credits of Star Wars, a score that has won multiple Academy, Golden Globe, Grammy and British Academy Film Awards.
The rousing arrangement will feature the last of the first suite, the Throne Room & Finale, a luscious Hollywood vision of Brahms in the strings leading to the grand finale of the triumphant Star Wars theme.
Tickets are priced at Rs 2,500, Rs 2,000, Rs 1,500, Rs 1,250 (Reserved) and Balcony Rs 500 (Unreserved) and can be purchased online at www.tickets.lk or in person at Sarasavi Bookshop (Nugegoda and Maharagama), Tickets.lk office (Jawatte Gardens Colombo 5), Yamaha Music Center and Abans Main Showroom.