Performer: Alexandra Soumm

Lalo's sunny slice of Seville formed the centrepiece of a programme by the BSO and James Gaffigan that completely lived up to its seductive “Exotic Spice” billing.

A great evening of Sibelius – shape, architecture and detail from Osmo Vänskä, excellent ensemble and solo work from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and an impassioned performance of the Violin Concerto from Alexandra Soumm.

Surely, Michael Tippett must be considered the most important British composer of the mid 20th century, even if this might be an unfashionable thing to say in this Britten-filled centenary year. Certainly, the BBCSO’s brave performance of his Third Symphony was evidence of this in itself.Since his death in 1998 at the age of 93, performances of Tippett’s work have gone into sad decline.

They made quite a contrast on stage: the diminutive figure of violinist Alexandra Soumm, resplendent in bright pink evening dress, and the imposing black-clad bulk of conductor Peter Csaba. Both, however, are bundles of energy, which was deployed at full tilt in this performance of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, closing the violin-laden programme of this year’s Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad.

La violoniste et l'orchestre ont enthousiasmé le public de La Filature par leur interprétation d'une grande finesse des Quatre Saisons recomposées de Max Richter.

La phalange mulhousienne a donné une création française de Kareem Roustom avant une brillante Symphonie espagnole par Alexandra Soumm. La Symphonie « italienne » de Mendelssohn a moins convaincu.

Son appréhension du répertoire, sa vocation de musicienne et d'enseignante, son engagement et ses interrogations sur la place de l'artiste dans la société : Alexandra Soumm se dévoile dans un grand entretien.