The Isca Ensemble and its regular Musical Director Roger Hendy have unveiled another series of exciting classical programmes which will feature this year in Sidmouth Parish Church.

The orchestra continues to receive high critical acclaim for its concerts, which include performances of popular concerti by renowned national and international soloists from across Europe.

The first Sidmouth orchestral concert is on Saturday, April 13 at 7.30pm, when the orchestra will be joined by Thomas Kelly, UK finalist in the 2021 Leeds International Piano Competition for a performance of Brahms’ epic First Piano Concerto. With its famous titanic opening, this piece is treasured by many to be one of the greatest concertos for piano and orchestra ever conceived, and the performance in April will mark yet another first for Sidmouth and East Devon. 

The Isca Ensemble is indeed so fortunate to have engaged Thomas Kelly at a time when he is venturing into new opportunities in London, Berlin, all over the UK and beyond. In May he will be at the Royal Festival Hall as a soloist in Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Turangalîla Symphonie'. The delightful overture to Mozart’s 'The Magic Flute’ opens the Sidmouth concert followed by the glorious sixth symphony of Antonin Dvořák which is unmistakably Czech in many ways and typically full of the most glorious melodies. Thomas Kelly will also present a special piano recital featuring works by Ravel, Chopin, Granados and Rachmaninoff on Sunday 14th April at 3 p.m. in Sidmouth Parish Church for which complimentary tickets are now available by email from Roger Hendy.

By popular demand, the Polish Steinway Artist Lucas Krupinski returns to Sidmouth once more on Saturday, June 15 at 7.30pm to perform Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto with the Isca Ensemble. This concert programme also features Johannn Strauss’s 'Fledermaus Overture' and the famous Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New Word’ by Dvořák.

On Monday, June 17 at 7.30 pm, Lucas will be joined by two other young virtuosi well known to East Devon audiences. Devonian violinist Joel Munday and Bulgarian violist Vanessa Hristova will present a special trio chamber programme. Again, complimentary tickets are available by email from Roger Hendy.

The Isca Ensemble will also feature its annual concert in Exeter Cathedral on Saturday, October 19, when the soloist will be the renowned Polish cellist Kacper Nowak in a performance of Dvořák’s  Cello Concerto, followed by Berlioz’s spectacular ‘Symphonie Fantastique’. The orchestra returns to Sidmouth again on December 7. 

For further details of all concerts/recitals and ticket availability online visit www.iscaensemble.org.uk or contact Roger Hendy roghendy@gmail.com. Some tickets for all the above events will also be available soon at Paragon Books, 38 High Street, Sidmouth, (01395 514516). Early booking is advised for all events.