Northern Lights and New World

Acclaimed conductor Rimma Sushanskaya – the last pupil of David Oistrakh – opens the National Symphony Orchestra of Great Britain’s 2026 Cadogan Hall season with Northern Lights and New World, a captivating exploration of national identity through music.

Sibelius’s Finlandia opens the evening with its stirring patriotism, followed by the lyrical Romance for Violin and Orchestra by Norwegian composer Johan Svendsen, featuring rising star Mathilde Milwidsky. Sibelius’s folk-infused Karelia Suite closes the first half in a blaze of Nordic colour.

The concert concludes with Dvořák’s New World Symphony — an expansive, emotional journey across continents, and one of the most beloved symphonies ever written.

About the Soloist
Classic FM Rising Star and Gramophone One to Watch Mathilde Milwidsky has been praised by The Strad for her “perfect intonation and beautiful shaping and colouring.” She was the only British violinist selected for the 2024 Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition, where Le Soir hailed her “mastery and musicality.”

A prize-winner at the Windsor Festival and Aurora Music Competitions, Mathilde has performed at major venues including Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, and Flagey Brussels, with broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, Scala Radio, and Deutschlandfunk Kultur. Her recordings on Toccata Classics and Guild have earned five-star reviews from Fanfare and Musical Opinion.

In 2024, Mathilde was appointed Professor of Violin at the Royal College of Music, London.