Havering Concert Orchestra mixes words and music

Havering Concert Orchestra mixes words and music. Sadly, this concert will be the last under the baton of Bill Brooks.

The climax of The Havering Literary Festival will place on 7.30 pm Saturday 24th November at the Frances Bardsley Academy, Romford when the Havering Concert Orchestra will be marking the centenary of the end of the First World War. The Orchestra will perform George Butterworth’s Rhapsody A Shropshire Lad, based on AE Houseman’s moving poems; Butterworth died in 1916, shot by a sniper in the Battle of the Somme, making his music a poignant choice for the evening. Performance poet Alexandra Wilde will read a selection of Houseman’s poems, including 'Loveliest of trees' and 'With rue my heart is laden'.

We will also be welcoming Florian Mitrea as our virtuoso soloist who will perform Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor. Kindly supported by Making Music’s Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artists scheme. Born in Bucharest, he studied at the Royal Academy of Music and has won numerous international piano competitions. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, as well as at venues in Europe, Japan and South Korea; several of his performances have been broadcast on Radio.

The concert finishes with Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony in E minor. The evening’s performance will be the last under the baton of Bill Brooks, who is retiring after a lifetime of service to music in Havering. We look forward to giving him a fabulous send-off and hope you will join us.