Last Friday, 5th October, The MK City Orchestra announced the launch of their new season at The Venue, Milton Keynes in great style.
The orchestra, conducted by Music Director, Damian Iorio, began the season in front of a sold out crowd. The first half of the concert included Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations. The soloist for the night was the magnificent Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Sheku, Classical BRITS Male Artist of the Year and Critics’ Choice winner, whose star has very much risen, who won the 2016 BBC Musician of the Year a couple of year’s ago and is a familiar face to many from his performance at the Royal wedding a few months ago, performed a beautiful rendition of the variations which brought the audience to a standing ovation.
The MKCO works with the MK Community Foundation on looking for future musical talent through the wonderful Christopher Hopkinson Memorial Bursary for musical excellence. This bursary was set up by the widow of Christopher Hopkinson in his memory to support the continued development of some of the most talented upcoming musicians from Milton Keynes. This year the award was presented by Sheku to Alex Wyatt, a pupil from the Royal Latin School. No doubt in his piano playing, or perhaps his composition Alex is a name to watch in the profession in the future as he looks to use some of the winnings in pursuing his musical studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire.
In the second half the audience were treated to C.P.E Bach’s symphony in D major and finished with Haydn’s Surprise Symphony. A wonderful start to the season in front of a full house was a great way to start the season.
The next concert for the Milton Keynes City Orchestra includes the virtuosic violinist Yoon-Hee Kim performing some of the violin’s best know and loved works including Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending and Saint-Saens’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. This takes place on Friday, 2nd November at The Venue, Walton High.
“This concert was a wonderful celebration of young talent locally and internationally. A breath-taking performance from Sheku and a joy to see Alex receive his bursary from the Foundation” - Chairman of the MKCO, Marian Livingstone
