A celebration of the spring equinox, this matinee offers a generous portion of musical sunshine, hope and warmth. Beethoven’s Seventh is his most exuberant and energetic work, with several hugely popular melodies and themes, while Mozart’s evergreen Sinfonia Concertante has an unmatched abundance of lyricism, good humour and playful happiness. One of Britain’s greatest living composers, David Matthews, also contributes a new work, written in celebration of Spring and dedicated to the ESO.

ESO Cheltenham Residency: Spring Equinox

Cheltenham Town Hall

EPSG:4326

WALTON AND RACHMANINOV with ROSALIND VENTRIS viola

Dorchester Abbey

Perhaps no other orchestra has done so much to champion the incredible tradition of British music for strings as the legendary English String Orchestra, whose recordings carry the music of England from Elgar to today to listeners worldwide. William Walton was perhaps the true heir of Elgar’s legacy, and his Sonata for Strings is one of the highest peaks in the string orchestra literature. The programme opens with a set of short pieces which showcase Elgar’s genius for the miniature and continues with works showcasing two of today’s most engaging and exciting composers, Peter Fribbins and Ian Venables. Rosalind Ventris is the featured soloist.

Elgar Festival 2025 - Elgar’s Strings in Malvern

Great Malvern Priory

Original programming has become a hallmark of the Collective’s identity, one that has garnered the versatile ensemble highly positive reviews and a substantial following. Set amongst familiar works in a programme with an overall Eastern European/folk-influenced theme is a 1925 piece by the increasingly admired Croatian Dora Pejačević.

Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective

Wigmore Hall

Their thoughtful and committed approach has brought the ensemble critical acclaim and invitations to renowned concert halls around the world.

Rosalind Ventris

Events

Past events

Mar 22, 2026

ESO Cheltenham Residency: Spring Equinox · English Symphony Orchestra

Mar 21, 2026

WALTON AND RACHMANINOV with ROSALIND VENTRIS viola · Orchestra of St John’s

Future and recently performed repertoire

Viola in Viola Concerto by Walton

Orchestra of St John’s

Viola in Sonata for Strings by Walton

English Symphony Orchestra

Viola in Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola by Mozart

English Symphony Orchestra

Viola in Soliloquy for Viola and Strings by Venables

English Symphony Orchestra

Viola in Folk Songs for Viola and Chamber Orchestra by Fribbins

English Symphony Orchestra

About

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