Worthing Symphony Orchestra offer Viennese New Year Concert

Spokeswoman Jennie Osborne said: “The traditional Viennese New Year Concert is one of the highlights of the WSO calendar and it takes place on Sunday, January 8 at 2.45pm. Always a favourite with audiences, it’s a joyous, celebratory event featuring the music of the Strauss family and their contemporaries. There is traditionally never a soloist for the New Year Concert. I nstead it focuses of the prowess of the professional musicians of WSO, individually and collectively, and allows for much audience participation, making it a foot-tapping, hand-clapping extravaganza with waltzes, marches, polkas and more!

“Later in the month, on the morning of Friday, January 27, WSO stages its Schools Concert for local schoolchildren. Produced in association with West Sussex Music, this annual event is a great way of introducing young children to classical music performed by a professional Symphony Orchestra in a concert hall setting. John Gibbons is passionate about ensuring these concerts take place each year even though funding can be an issue. John, alongside musicians like Nicola Benedetti, Sheku Kanneh Mason and Jess Gillam all of whom have performed on the Assembly Hall stage with WSO, believes music teaching is vital to a child’s education. Music stimulates the imagination and creativity of young minds … and the annual schools concert is our small contribution to the cause of music education in the UK.

“Whilst the Schools Concert is not open to the general public, later that same day at 7.30pm WSO performs its only evening concert of the season with guest soloist Maria Marchant. Sussex pianist Maria is fast becoming a favourite with Worthing audiences. Since her pre-lockdown debut in 2019, and her accomplished performance of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto last season, she has shown her remarkable skill and versatility.”

Tickets for the New Year Concert on January 8 and I Got Rhythm on January 27 are available online at wtm.uk or 01903 260063.