Peter Connors has a degree in Modern Languages from Worcester College, Oxford, retrained in law and spent 18 years as a solicitor specialising in pensions law in Manchester. Then, after working for a time for a charity in Cheshire, he retrained once again, this time as a teacher of English as a foreign language. He can trace his opera-going to a performance of The Mikado in 1970 and his concert-going to a “family concert” given by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra a year or so later. He has been attending concerts and operas enthusiastically ever since. He now frequents many concert halls and theatres in the North West of England with occasional trips further afield.
Stephen Hough, Joshua Weilerstein and the Liverpool Philharmonic formed a great partnership in Beethoven's Emperor Concerto plus an unsettling account of Bartok's Divertimento.
The Belgrade Philharmonic gave Ana Sokolovic's Concerto for Orchestra a fine performance; two soloists from the orchestra entertained in a Stamitz concerto, and a gripping Brahms First Symphonyconcluded a splendid concert.
Robert Lakatos proved to be an ideal soloist in Korngold's Violin Concerto and Uroš Lajovic conducted a poised, atmospheric Italian Symphony in Belgrade.
Giya Kancheli's stunning oboe concerto Childhood Revisited was given as a tribute to the memory of the recently deceased composerin an intriguing and enjoyable concert.
Marc Piollet and the Belgrade Philharmonic presented a poised, happy Beethoven 1 contrasting with an intense performance of Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique
Andrey Baranov's stunning performance of Shostakovich's harrowing Violin concerto no. 1 withDaniel Raiskin and the Belgrade Philharmonic overshadowed the other items in the programme.
Tatjana Masurenko played Schnittke's hauntingand intriguing Viola Concerto with virtuosity and feeling, plus a powerful Tchaikovsky 4 and some surprising Shostakovich.
After a popular first half including a fine Grieg Piano Concerto, the Belgrade Philharmonic gave a showpiece performance of Schoenberg's early symphonic poem.
James Ehnes was an ideal soloist in Walton's Violin Concerto, well partnered by John Wilson and the BBC Philharmonic, withatmospheric Bax and a powerful Vaughan Williams 4.
Andrei Ioniţă proved to be an ideal interpreter of Dvorak's Cello Concerto in a concertthat also included a magnificent performance of Martinů's Fourth Symphony.
John Casken's intriguing new work for trombone and orchestra presents a musical interpretation of a Michelangelo drawing, along with superb Mozart and powerful Prokofiev.
Vasily Petrenko and the RLPO gave a deeply moving performance of Sibelius's Fourth Symphony, following exquisite Peer Gynt and a stylish Beethoven Third Piano Concertowith Beatrice Rana.
Katherine Baker and Lucy Wakeford delighted in Mozart, Debussy and Fauré with the Northern Chamber Orchestra in a concert crowned by an undeservedly rare symphony by Haydn.
