Violinist Jennifer Pike joins BBC National Orchestra of Wales for Wrexham concert

Nov 12 2009 by Michael Green, Flintshire Chronicle

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales will perform a wonderful evening of music, featuring former BBC Young Musician of the Year, violinist Jennifer Pike.

Jennifer will be performing the work which she played when she won her title in 2002.

On Saturday at 7.30pm, guest conductor Garry Walker will join the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Jennifer at William Aston Hall, Glyndwr University, Wrexham.

Garry Walker is permanent guest conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and, as well as conducting nationally and internationally, he is an enthusiastic hill walker and climber and recently completed his mission to climb all 284 of the Munro Mountains in Scotland.

Following Cimarosa’s Overture, Il matrimonio segreto, Jennifer Pike will join the orchestra for a performance of Mendelssohn’s well-loved Violin Concerto.

Jennifer has emerged as one of the most gifted of the younger generation of British artists. Currently a member of the high profile BBC New Generation Artist Scheme, she is a regularly featured artist with many of the BBC orchestras and chamber music series.

Her close relationship with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sir Andrew Davis dates back to her victory at the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition in 2002, when her performance of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto saw her become the youngest ever winner of the competition.

Since then her career has blossomed and she has performed all over the world.

Composed while on a recuperative holiday in 1844, the Violin Concerto has a carefree and joyous mood, making it one of the most lyrical of Mendelssohn’s works and one of the most highly regarded of its genre.

The concert will also feature Britten’s Soirees Musicales and will conclude with Shostakovich’s sparkling and exuberant Ninth Symphony, written to celebrate the end of the war; it was far from the reverential work anticipated by his countrymen.

Tickets are on sale now, priced £9-£14.50, with discounts available from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Audience Line on 0800 052 1812 or Wrexham Tourist Information Centre 01978 292015.