The orchestra at its Valentine concert in February 2023).

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue tops the bill at Hastings Sinfonia’s summer concert

Hastings Sinfonia has assembled a programme of the familiar and the new for its summer concert on 1 July. The orchestra’s Alexandra Hudson describes the musical delights that lay in wait. Photos by Roy Cano.

Hastings Sinfonia has a dream of a programme for our midsummer concert on Saturday 1 July with much-loved classics, newly-composed works, and a chance to hear George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue performed by Hastings Sinfonia’s pianist Howard Southern.

Howard Southern will be the pianist in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

The programme also features perennial favourites such as Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Overture, and Bizet’s rousing L’Arlésienne Suite.

Hastings Sinfonia takes great pleasure in performing two works dedicated to local landmarks: Paul Lewis’s Lifeboat March and Gary Judd’s Hastings Funicular.

Also on the programme are Jonathan Bruce’s Happy Overture and My Princess by Kazakh composer Yerkesh Shakeyev, which will see pianist Howard Southern back on the stage.

Yunus Eshekh-Alonso

We will also play two pieces by our musical director and composer Polo Piatti, including Tristesse And Passion, featuring solo violin by Yunus Eshekh-Alonso, our youngest member and one of our star young talents.

Four of the five living composers whose works are featured will be present at the concert – Paul Lewis, Gary Judd, Jonathan Bruce and Polo Piatti.

This February’s Valentine Concert included a stunning performance of Ravel’s Bolero, excerpts of violin concertos performed by our exceptionally talented young members and popular romantic pieces to a virtually full house.

At the end of the year the orchestra will return to Bexhill’s De La Warr Pavilion, where it participated in the world premiere of Piatti’s multi-faith Oratorio Libera Nos last October, to perform a special winter concert to warm the heart and lift the soul, featuring the world premiere of his Christmas Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra with Italian star guitarist Giulio Tampalini, plus many local singers, dancers and musicians performing both new and much loved Christmas favourites.

The orchestra, which celebrated its 10^th anniversary last year, is formed of local professional and talented amateur musicians, and has made itself a cornerstone of cultural and community life in Hastings.

Join us for a joyous night of music at St John’s Church, St Leonards-on-Sea and a celebration of Hastings’ extraordinary community talent and experience the power and excitement of LIVE classical music!

Hastings Sinfonia Summer Concert 7.30pm Saturday 1 July, at St John the Evangelist, Brittany Road, St Leonards-on-Sea TN38 0RD. Admission £12 in advance, £18 on the door, under 18s free with paying adult. Tickets from Ticket Source or The Bookkeeper, 1a Kings Rd, St Leonards-on-Sea TN37 6EA.

For more information see Hastings Sinfonia’s website or contact them by email.

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