Sinfonia Cymru String Octet/ Nonet

The young players of Sinfonia Cymru are becoming well known to Hay audiences. Mendelssohn’s Octet was chosen because it is bursting with youthful joy that matches their performances.  Ollie Mustonen is not well known in the UK but his Nonet 2 is as joyful as the Mendelssohn in its own, accessible way. This is Sinfonia Cymru’s Chamber Music ‘Supersized’ - Octet, Nonet, Dectet and bigger! Their leader, Haim Choi, steps into the spotlight to direct a thrilling programme bursting with joy, spontaneity and electric energy. At the heart of the concert is Mendelssohn’s iconic Octet, a firecracker of youthful imagination, shaped and performed with Haim’s trademark vibrancy. Alongside it sits Louise Farrenc’s Nonet, an elegant and powerful composition long overdue for time in the spotlight. The programme also features Françaix’s Dectet and Mustonen’s Nonet, each playfully blending the modern with the nostalgic, like musical postcards from another time. There is also a special treat: a brand-new arrangement by David John Roche of Lili Boulanger’s D’un matin de printemps for fourteen musicians, a shimmering celebration of spring. David says: “It’s a real privilege to be working with Sinfonia Cymru’s fantastic musicians, and with this amazing piece of music. You’ll hear it in a way it’s never been heard before. We’ve taken this chamber music and exploded it with a larger ensemble and with different instrumentation. It’s exciting and it’s gorgeous. I hope you’ll love it as much as we do!”