YORK Guildhall Orchestra will open 2020 with a family-orientated, mid-afternoon concert on January 4 at York Barbican.
“This is a great way to finish off the festive break by introducing the younger members of the family to the fantastic and entertaining world of live orchestral music,” says publicist Geoff Eggington.
Joining Simon Wright’s orchestral forces will be the YGO’s president, Tollerton soprano Lynne Dawson, in her role as narrator for a couple of pieces.
These will include Kleinsinger’s Tubby The Tuba, the heart-warming story of Tubby, the butt of all the jokes in the orchestra, who nevertheless finds a wonderful tune and persuades the whole orchestra to play it. The tuba soloist will be Brian Kingsley, from the Orchestra of Opera North.
Other family favourites in the 3.30pm programme will be Viennese waltzes and polkas by Johanne Strauss, the Elder and the Younger, such as Thunder & Lightning, Champagne, Gold & Silver and The Blue Danube.
Extracts from The Sound Of Music and Les Miserables will feature York Stage Musicals members in the singing roles.
Looking ahead to 2020, this will be YGO’s 40th anniversary year, when the main celebratory concert will be held on February 15, almost to the day when the orchestra’s debut concert was performed in the York Guildhall, hence the name.
On that first programme were Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and a Brahms Symphony. This time, the orchestra will be joined by Jamie Walton in Sir Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto.
“As always, we’re delighted we’ll be working with the City of York Council and the York Music Hub in 2020 by providing free places at our May concert for children from York primary schools and members of Yorchestra.”
Further information on the year ahead can be found at yorkguildhallorchestra.com. Tickets for the New Year’s Family Concert are on sale on 0203 356 5441, at yorkbarbican.co.uk or in person from the Barbican box office.