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.
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.
Grieg's Piano Concerto played by Tom Poster and the Hallé under Stpehen Bell was the highlight of a popular programme of Nordic favourites by Grieg and Sibelius
Alina Pogostkina and the Belgrade Philharmonic strings shone in Peteris Vasks' atmospheric Distant Light while Fabrice Bollon entertained with Shostakovich's most exuberant symphony.
Simone Lamsma gave an intense, exciting and witty performance of Bartók's love song with the Belgrade Philharmonic and Daniel Raiskin, plus Beethoven, Weber and Strauss.
Baiba Skride gripped the audience in Sibelius's Violin Concerto in the opening concert of this year's Sibelius Festival in Lahti, along with some rarities by the composer.
A fine Planets from Eiji Oue and the Belgrade Philharmonic crowned a splendid concert despite a flawed “Neptune” after Simone Rubino had explored the music of the Earth.
Alban Gerhardt in Martinů’s Cello Concerto no. 1 was a dazzling achievement in the Belgrade Philharmonic’s concert under Uroš Lajovic, along with atmospheric Sibelius and polished Tchaikovsky.
Alongside Filip Savić's performance of Vanhal's Double Bass Concerto in D major, Cristian Mandeal conducts a fine New World Symphony with the Belgrade Philharmonic.
Gabriel Feltz and the Belgrade Philharmonic conjured up medieval Russia in the colourful and imaginative tale of Ilya Muromets in Glière's Symphony no. 3.
Xavier de Maistre gave a stunning performance of the Concierto de Aranjuez in the version for harp and orchestra, plus Ligeti and Tchaikovsky's ultra-Romantic Manfred in Belgrade.
A thrilling concert by the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain conducted by Sir Mark Elder culminated in a sinister and atmospheric performance of Duke Bluebeard's Castle.
