The London Mozart Players giving their first Hastings concert at Opus Theatre in November.

Evening of strings with London Mozart Players on Friday

String music is the theme at St Mary in the Castle this Friday when the London Mozart Players return to Hastings for the second concert in their LMP by the Sea series. The finale will see them joined by 100 young string players from the area, writes  Nick Terdre.

Titled Celebrating Strings, the concert takes a broad sweep across music written specially for string instruments, from classical and baroque to works inspired by folk and jazz, showcasing the versatility and range of expression possible with solely stringed instruments.

Among the works is – naturally – a piece by Mozart, the Divertimento in D Major, as well as other well-known compositions including Bach’s Air on a G String, Britten’s Simple Symphony and Holst’s St Paul’s Suite.

There will also be a touch of tango with Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla’s Oblivion and Libertango.

But perhaps the highlight will be the thrilling finale when the orchestra will be joined on stage by over 100 instrumentalists from the Hastings Area Music Centre to perform Jeff Moore’s Fiddler’s Hill, a collaborative piece for string players of all standards.

Unique opportunity

“This side-by-side piece, composed for string players of all standards, gives a unique platform for professionals and young musicians to play together on stage, and has been performed across the world,” the LMP say. “Inspired by folk music, this energetic composition expresses the dynamic range of a full orchestra whilst giving young local musicians the unique opportunity to experience the joy of world-class performance first-hand.”

Fiddler’s Hill will be conducted by the composer, while for the other pieces the 12-strong orchestra will be directed by its leader, Ruth Rogers. St Mary’s has been chosen as the venue as the Opus Theatre, where LMP is in the early stages of  a year’s residency, could not accommodate the large numbers of musicians participating in the final piece.

Outreach work – delivering music education and creative opportunities to the next generation – is a vital part of the orchestra’s work. Over the course of the year, it will visit a vast number of primary, nursery and special schools in the area, as well as putting on free performances of Roald Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood at Hastings library on 28 May (tickets to these performances, which will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, will be available to book in March).

Celebrating Strings: London Mozart Players and Hastings Area Music Service Friday 7 February, 7pm, St Mary in the Castle, 7 Pelham Crescent, Hastings TN34 3AF.

Tickets – adults £13, concessions £11, 16-25 years £8, children £5, family ticket (two adults, two children) £30 – available online or from Hastings Tourist Information Centre, Muriel Matters House, Breeds Place, Hastings TN34 3UY (01424 451111).

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